Skip to main content

Full text of "Computer Gaming World Issue 169"

See other formats 


First  E3  Report!  Best  & Worst  of  Show 
_ ■■  \ 24  Reviews! 

COMPUTER 


Jiet  Siiti  4 
^hd^out 

Ismeli  Mft  Force  3 


IRpiundup 

^iS'^hMtrqiler^ 
Reviewed  "• 


The  #1  PC  Game  Magazine 


TiMtMaiderm 
Bat!;lm  l2  Xm 
laugh  RipaM  % 


ruiu  ufii 


INFERNAL 


AND  THE 
MACHINE 


HERETIC  II 


WnMIVMIH 


Vou  cflinmand  turn-of-ftie-centurii  Tflnhs, 


Size  doesn't  matt! 


BoFNesliips  and  Observoiion  Balloons. 


Strategy  does! 


Ttieij  commond  BOO-fooi  Fighting 


Enough  to  have  any  real-time  strategy  fan  drooling"  - Gamespot 


Vou  hwe  only 


irs  qour  fouir  if  qou  canT  design  and  build 
barile-savvq  unifs  from  scratch.  Extreme 
TacNcs  offers  a massive  palerie  of  design 
opNons  giving  qou  ^he  chance  ro  build  fbe 
uINmafeiuar  machine. 

Hnd  if  qou  had  an^  real  ralent,  qou'd  rahe  one 
^ of  qour  invenNons  our  for  a spin  againsl  a 
^ V * j^fjend  and  bus!  his  real-Nme  ass. 

Looh,  qou've  logged  counNess  sleepless  hours 
plaqing  rradifionol  srraregq  games,  ir's  Nme  fo 
raheirupanofch. 


iWllii  iwlJ 

TahB  conirol  of  i|our  game. 


@ 199B  Pi  rant)  a Inieracrive  Publishing,  inc.  All  rig  his  reserved.  Pubiisbed  bii  Piranha  InleracMve  Publishing. 


VOURSELFfo  blame. 


AL  li  1 A rTTX;  TCCGC  A 
•ATrsXATOr^TCTr?'"  * 


AA1\:Tt'.\T^AC(y|9 

AATATty^TCArrAG 


rCWt^-ACCACG 

rcWsACGACG; 


iCTttCTl 

rCTGCiri 


:l-  iv:ATTrTXA’ 
:at-'ttaa' 


•toctattcttaci- 

'Tt;i;TATrGTTA(, 


K/1  ^ o 1 


(NTI.'RACTIVi;  I'UUi.lSlllNci 


UUIUI. 


.com 


Go  to  #1 36  @ www.computergaming.com/lnfolink 
Desiped  liq  fltitia  Slalioo.  Inc.  Etliems  ladies  is  a trademarli  af  Hedia  sraiion.  Inc.  Hedia  Slalion  is  a legisleied  liadeinaili  af  flcdia  Slatian.  Inc. 


"Unit  design  and  AI  streaming  could  very  well  revolutionize  the  real-time  strategy  genre"  - Game  Informer 


3 UNitpue  -RLieN  Species 

Whether  you  command  the 
nomadic  Terrans,  mysterious 
Protoss,  or  voracious  Zerg, 
you  must  devise  totally  unique 
strategies  to  master  the 
specialized  units,  abilities, 
and  technologies  of  each. 


UNecpupLeD 
CempfliGN  -EDixap  • 


Construct  individual  ^ 
missions  or  entire 
campaigns  with  unrivaled 


iNTCNSH  iNTCPNeX  CaiYlPeXlXION 

Challenge  the  world  with  FREE* 
access  to  Blizzard’s  Battle. net."  Up  to 
8 player  Internet  support  including  » 
worldwide  player  rankings, 
tournaments,  and  challenge  ladders. 


■RevQLUxioNflRY  Special  -Eppecxs 

Real-time  light  sourcing,  true  line  of  sight,  and 
an  advanced  translucency  engine  combine  for 
unparalleled  visual  and  tactical  realism. 


mULXIPLE  TAEAXEAS  OP  BAXXLE 

Engage  In  a deadly  mix  of  space  combat, 
planetary  assault,  and  covert  base  infiltra- 


options  and  e 


tion.  Command  Ghost  Espionage  Agents, 


Protoss  High  Templars,  and  Zerg  Defilers  as 


you  seek  to  conquer  the  galaxy. 


liW^(iiidll»lilBgn(lilO)9V(iqn«dMdeTObondltu«u30oidlftiliWu3D<MHtotonlndmboff<asnptCEitef>taLlltt«ii(Ui&oii9M*)tnd»ikUair»h>railolDea  locolig 

ligdtniliolOilt^raStfNmlrAinoXwoLlont’ssoiqsRdMenit  of  Join's  InhrmaliMGwf,  M.usduBfainw.Misoiotisieicdfitd(ir*ikol(3FCoubsiliQiTg^MteElg°kF>'‘)rE'''e''n'<wL  3Dii  i«  3Dfi  bfo. 
VoodwGiqitooiidVcwlHltvdioniegiiieKd  wideinibol3Dbtnt«9ilht,Iiic.Wiridmiigiegist«icd  Roiinnrt  ofMwcuhtug.OlfiBbnii^iiodiiagin  on  Indino^olili^itspKliKiiiiiwiCon^l!^/  lonrgropk  CoiiHraliDa 
Hunl»<lli.ll3S894-l»1.MCHOai3  V9S 


7 kick  tush  in  PC  games. 

1 used  to  rap  your  knuckles  twice  a week  for  not  doing  your  homework.  Now  I’m  going  to  kick  your  tush  in 
action-packed  game  of  Moto  Racer.  And  1 can  do  it,  too,  because  I’ve  been  playing  with  an 

Intense  3D  Voodoo  PC  graphics  card  Based  on  the 
3Dfx’ Voodoo  Rush  technology,  intense  3d  voodoo  s 
realistic  3D  graphics  gives  me  the  edge  to  hone  my  playing  skills. 

And  its  TV-out  connecter  lets  me  plug  my  PC  into  the  big-screen  television 
in  the  rectory  so  i really  get  into  the  action.  Plus,  because  Intense  3D  Voodoo  rUnS 

regular  Windows  95  applications,  istm  manage  to  track 

the  school  finances  and  bake  sales  and  keep  up  my  correspondence  with  Father  Flanagan.” 

Get  the  card  that's  given  Sister  Mary  Margaret 
the  edge.  Get  Intense  3D  Voodoo,  now. 

Available  at  retailers  nationwide. 


a fast-paced 


Voodao 


Sister  Maiy  Margaret, 
Moto  Racer  devotee,  says 
"Get  Intense  3D  Voodoo, 
or  suffer  the  wrath!" 


Intense  3D  Voodoo  delivers  super-sharp  graphics  for 
stunning  realism  and  intense  game  play. 


INTERGRAPH 

COMPUTER  SYSTEMS 


^uatief 

Xa.  S)ebonah! 


DEAD! 


FROM  THE  CREATOR  OF  FULL  THROTTLE™  AND  DAY  OF  THE  TENTACLE®  COMES  AN  EPIC  TALE 
OF  CRIME  AND  CORRUPTION  IN  THE  LAND  OF  THE  DEAD.  FEATURING  MANUEL  CALAVERA 
AS  YOUR  TRAVEL  AGENT  OF  DEATH  IN  THE  MOST  EXTRAORDINARY  3D  ADVENTURE 
EVER  MADE.  SET  YOUR  TRAVEL  PLANS  FOR  THIS  FALL.  FOR  WINDOWS  95  CD-ROM. 

iDownlowl  the.  amazing  fttatfobie  demo-  at  €vwut:U»caaa/U».com.//tt*io^tMcta/g/Mim 


© LuscasArts  EnlertainmenI  Company  LLG.  All  rights  reserved. 


August  1998  No.  169 


J 

n 

[ 

The  #1  PC  Game  Magazine 

^VV^ORLD 

FEATURES 

Tomb  Robbers 


Air  Superiority 

With  the  advent  of  amazing  new  3D 
technology  and  super-speed  proces- 
sors and  the  growing  importance  of 
multiplayer  combat,  today's  jet  sims  are  breaking 
new  ground  in  sophistication  and  features.  Join 
CGWi  Denny  Atkin  as  he  sneaks  into  the  cock- 
pits of  four  advanced  jet-fighter  sims  to  bring 
back  the  very  first  hands-on  reports  on  the  next 
generation  of  sims 120 


The  Right  Stuff 


OK,  so  we  realize  that  until  G forces 
can  actually  be  modeled  at  your 
desktop,  you'll  never  really  be  able 
to  re-create  the  feeling  of  being  aloft  in  an 
aircraft.  But  until  that  day  arrives,  you 
can  still  get  an  otherwise  realistic 
flight  experience,  often  without 
emptying  your  savings  account. 
Loyd  Case  straps  on  his  goggles, 
fires  up  the  jets,  and  takes  off 
into  the  wild  blue  yonder  with  the 
latest  generation  of  flight  con- 
trollers  140 


We  all  know  that  Lara  Croft  has  guns, 
and  she's  never  been  afraid  to  use 
them— or  her  looks — to  take  out  the 
competition.  Now  Eidos  attacks  on  all  fronts,  fea- 
turing Lara  in  books,  music  videos,  comics,  and 
even  movies.  The  question  is  this:  Can  TOMB 
RAIDER  III  maintain  the  momentum  of  the  origi- 
nal despite  these  distractions?  Join  us  as  we  fol- 
low gaming's  preeminent  polygonal  goddess  as 
she  is  challenged  by  DRAKEN,  MESSIAH,  SPACE 
BUNNIES  MUST  DIE,  DARK  VENGEANCE,  and  a host 
of  other  TOMB  RAIDER  killers — all  featured  in  our 
comprehensive  roundup 84 


ALL  TOMB  RAIDER  ART,  INCLUDING  COVER,  BY  CORE  DESIGN 


REVIEWS 


Fear  and  Loathing  in 
Atianta  • X-Files'  Gillian 
Anderson  Interview  • 
E3:  Best  and  Worst  • 
Vaporware  • Indiana 
Jones  3D  • Heavy  Metal 
Returns  • Playing  Lately 


HARDWARE 

Hardware  News,  Pipeline 


Matrox  Readies  a New  Chip  • nVidia 

Hit  With  Two  Big  Lawsuits 155 

Loyd  Case 

Stupid  Human  Tricks  157 

Killer  Game  Machines  ...  158 
Turtle  Beach  sound  Card  ...  162 
STB  RIVA128ZX  Card  ...162 


Diamond  Monster  3D  II  . 164 

Canopus  Pure3D  II  165 

Gravis  Xterminator 165 


Action 


Die  by  the  Sword  ...  174 


Outwars  176 

Forsaken 178 


Adventure/RPG 


Might 8i  Magic VI  ...180 


Ml  Tank  Platoon  11 . . 185 
Panzer  Commander  .194 


GAMERS  EDGE 

F-15 

Mastering  Air-to-Air  Combat  Whiie 
Using  Realistic  Radar 

StarCraft 

Advanced  Studies:  How  Do  I 
Beat  That  Rush?  

Army  Men 

Here's  How  to  Get  Sarge  Out  Aiive. 

FIFA  98 

Winning  Strategies  for  Conquering 
the  Worid's  Best  Soccer  Teams  . . 

Gamer's  Edge  Tips 

SEMPER  FI,  DRAGOON,  TROPHY  RIVERS 
DEER  HUNTER,  FALLOUT,  and  More 


DEPARTMENTS 


Johnny  Wilson  Piay  MYST-y  for  Me 21 

Letters  Our  Readers  Speak  Out 25 

Reviews  Introduction 167 

Reviews  Index:  Two  Months  of  Ratings  171 

Top  100  Readers  Rate  the  Top  Games 258 

Hall  of  Fame  The  Greatest  Games  of  All  Time 260 

CGW  Online/GameSpot  The  Best  Game  Coverage  on  the  Web  261 

Greenspeak  She  Got  Game 264 


1 Sports 

World  Cup  98  ... 

...  201 

Triple  Play  99  202 


Triple  Play  99  202 

High  Heat  204 

HardBall  6 208 

The  Golf  Pro 211 

FPS  Ski  Racing  214 


StrategyAIVargames 


Soldiers  at  War 216 

TA:  Core  Contingency  .217 

ChronX 220 

Liberation 221 


|WAR  WILL  RATTLE  YOUR  NERTES 

BULLEf  SWILL 

BATTLE  YOUR 


AdiVisioN 


FIGHTER 

SQUADRON 


THE  8CHEAHIN'  DSHONS  OVEB  EUBOPE 


CONFRONT  YOUR  OEMONS  THIS  FALL  ON  WINOOWS®95/98  CO-ROM. 
WWW.AGTiriSION.CDM 

Go  to  #231  @ www.computergamlng.com/infollnk 


FEEL  THE  EFFECTS  OF  WAB. 


For  a WWII  pilot,  nothing  was  more  nerve-wracking  than  the  brutal  reality  of 
war.  Fighter  Squadron;  The  Screamin'  Demons  Over  Europe'"  takes  you  back  to 
that  reality  with  1940's  fighters  and  bombers  that  not  only  fly  as  authentically 
as  the  originals,  but  reveal  the  frighteningly  realistic  world  outside  of  them.  So 
you  actually  feel  the  effect  of  bullets  rattling  your  aircraft.  Fighter  Squadron — 
WWII  air  combat  so  real,  you'll  wish  you  weren't  such  a damn  hero. 


GROUNDBREAKING  FLIGHT  IMMERSION 
A revolutionary  flight  model  makes  every  Immelman  and  snap  roll 
an  authentic  simulation  of  the  original  plane’s  flight  dynamics. 
An  unprecedented  physics  modeL  featuring  between  20  and  60 
"break  off'  points  per  plane,  offers  collision  detection  that 
ensures  everytiiing  in  the  world  reacts  realistically — from 
sheared-off  wings  to  skidding  on  grass. 


UNPRECEDENTED  WWII  EIPERIENCE 
Pilot  ten  authentically  modeled  WWII  fighters  and  bombers, 
including  the  B-1 7 Flying  Fortress,  the  Hawker  Typhoon  and  the 
ME-262.  in  single  or  16-player  missions  via  LAN  or  Internet  Use 
in-flight  hot-switching  to  change  positions  within  your  plane  or 
switch  planes  within  a squadron  mid-dogfighl 


ULTRA-REALISTIC  GRAPHICAL  DETAIL 
Ten  highly-detailed  virtual  3-D  cockpits  feature  360°  head 
rotation  and  fully  functioning  instrument  panels.  Plus,  native  3-D 
card  support  and  software  emulation  of  3-D  hardware  features 
enhance  the  breathtaking  hand-buitt  texture-mapped  terrain. 


UNLIMITED  6AMEPLAY 

Take  on  30  scenarios  (90  missions)  with  advanced  squadron 
Al  settings:  aggression,  loyalty,  morale,  skill  and  sanity — even 
individual  gunner  positions  react  independently.  Use  the  drag- 
and-drop  Mission  Editor  to  easily  create  single  and  multiplayer 
scenarios  with  waypoints,  targets,  plane  Al  and  win  conditions. 


3I)e  ancient  bloobline  tnas 
entbobieb  2,000  i^ectrs  ago 
just  Dutsibe  of  ®ett)Iet)ent. 

1 ,900  i^ears  later, its  barb  secret 
snrf  aceb  in  tt)e  small  toron  of 
9iennes4e=6;t)ateau. 


BLOOD  OF  THE  SACRED 

ffiimifl 

Blood  op  the  Damned 

r.  I99S  Sicrra  iQil-Linc,  Inc.  ® nncl/or  clebifjnaie  iradoinarks  dC,  nr  liccnseil  to,  Sierra  On-Line.  Inc.,  Bellevue.  WA  98007.  All  Kij-lus  Reserved. 

Go  to  #109  @ www.computergaming.com/Infolink 


f-m  jitci 

W*  ■ 

ST 

INTERACm 

r-M’-i 

■wINDOW5*95H 

.1938  Virgin  Inleraclive  Enlerlainmenl.  Inc.  Recoil  is  a Irademark  ol  Virgin  liileractive  Enleilainmenl,  Inc.  Virgin  is  a tegislered 
nidcmaik  ol  Virgin  eiileiprises.  Ltd.  Windov/s  is  a rcgislereil  Irademark  ol  llie  Micrasoll  Corporation.  AH  rigtils  reserved. 

1 CD-ROM  ■ 

OUKRIRATtO  ir 

ESRB 

.AR  DISTOfeTION  MORTAI 


j««  AT  TftRGCT  UJITH  R€nCL€  AMD  FIRt  THB  IS  A N^TRAqO*  UfEArj 

Fltie.  THe  6H€H¥  flAV  SUSTiMN  UTTLE  OR  MO  DAMAGflf  IT  MOuH  THIS 
USStfMl  CtpTRUCnOM  OF  eUlkAMGS 
ukLE OR  riUl^PLeSHOT  If  LOCKCO  OM  Tff  OR 

disshatioh  n um.L  haoc’a  neDUiMzc 

iBii^^^^BiljfOM  impact.  SOIKU'HjV  SI.Om.  AROUMO  J^OOMj 


mOTlOMC >««“'*  ^ 

. ouAST  Of  F1R6AML 
^uMC  A aCHyMOKE  TRA^U 


AUGHT' 


mPiv,M  CftnnoM  A 

PfXON  BURST  CftNtiON  J0r 

RfiPID-FIR£  PULSE 
HIGH  EXPiOSIUe  HOmlR 
HOLECUUVi  DISTC^ON  MORTfVi 
PROHDinV  HIGH  Q^OSPJE  MINE 
PRCHIMnYMOL£CULfiRDISJCRTK)N^ 
TETHER-GUIDED  EXPLOSIUE  MISSli€ 
ENHANCED  RAPID  -FIRE  PULSE  <^N 
TETHER- GUE>ED  PRACTICAL  NUKE 
REMOTE  HIGH  EHPLOSOJE  MINE 
LOCK-ON  EI^OSRJE  MISSILE 
LOCK-ON  PRACTICAL  NUKE 
SONIC  BURST  CANNON 
LASER  DESIGNATOR 
LASER  SABRE 


Command  a rapid  motion 


18  HIGH-POWERED  WEAPONS  OF  MASS 
FRucTioN.  Battle  your  way  through  six 


TREACHEROUS.  MI  SSI  ON- BASED  WORLDS 


THE  EARTH 


* '■  Unacceleratca*  screenshots! 

downl6^dable  demo  coming  soon. 
LXhdCk  www.vte.cbm  for  details. 


www.computergaming.com/infolink 


L 

a 

: k 

■ 

' It  - 

i 1 

'**  1 

|]  1 

iNTERac t i ve 


^^efpre  iKe  {Iuvh  of  slain-free  carjjiiis,  earplugs  and 
'novelty  l?no\yh  ati  mercy,  tkings  v\:erc  genorally  cjuil 
\YKul  wUk  tke  slow  ol  wjt  and  llic  weal?  oflijji 
s^illiri^  llieir  ^oLh  on  a daily:ba8iH,  sufely  you  can  imy^in 

4 EIDOS'HINT  LINE  l•900•773•O67.Cost  of  call  $0.9Sfminiite.Mu!t  beJS  years  or  hayff^ent's  permissic 
Toui^-tone  reqijlred  , ' 


crimson. 


^rim  lun  yoy  iNdnv  it»  lijile-  l6r- yoii 

plunde  on  ip  or  lool?  away.  bul  mal?e  up  vour 
lile  you  stiH  Iiavc  iiclioice.  ■' 

, ; www.dcai'bt'rapdur)gcoi).corT) 


You’Ve  been  warned 


1 enemies  otT  in  a Dragon's  bile 
blaze  of  goi*>’  3-D  detail. 


latter  your  way  through  10  torturous  levels 
r mazes,  c«)rridors,  dungeons,  ^md  traps. 


'ex  or  ventilate  55  contrary  denizens  including 
Ores,  Dragons,  Mummies  and  Zombies. 


p/iay  online  willi  up  to  4 mutually 
demented  peers  (pc  version  only). 


^iistcr  13  hoiriiic  implements,  including  sw'oitis,  hammei's, 
muskets,  magic  spells  mid  your  bloody  bate  hands. 


Bin?  [>u^e«ii  and  ir«  imltmtrki  of  Ek1»i,’^c.  Ri,iuiion  and  tfit 

3ofrpu«r Enlerulnnieni  Inc.  * • 


PlayStation  lojo  are  tfadfinarlti  o{  Sony 


Go  to'#228  @*www.computergamlng.com/lnf6llnk 


The  most  comprehensive  scenario  editor  ever! 


Fuily  integrated  Forte  and  Events  Editors! 


I:  1939  - 1955 

laSSMB^atthe  lggggp^^j^irffl%iger  to  create  the  ULTIMATE  computer  wargame!  After  a ten-year 
wmlfKK^PaMWBjBliHgeS^^  of  Rifles'”,  Tanks'",  and  Red  Lightning*”,  Norm  Roger  has  joined 

di|CreSaj*tlreWfflMffliroi  his  d^t^MfikiUperational  Art  of  War™,  Unmatched  flexibility,  complete 
nfl|  system  and  state  otyg  tiitgrapmm^mbined  with  a variable  game  scale,  will 
the  greatest  achievement^fliis  careeTf’Bjjl^  ^ 

K*:  Available  June  I st  at  Software  Reta7l^rs3lVorld  Wide!  Reserve  your  copy  today! 
p.  • Call  (410)  933-9191  orvisifJiirWebsiteatwww.lalonsoft.com  V- " 

Goto#245  @ www.cornputergaming.com/infoilnk  niflll^ifif 

©Copyright  19S8TalonSoft  Inc.,  P.O.  Box  43730, White  Marsh,  MD  21236  fllllHhllr 

SSI©,  Age  of  Rilles’“,  Tanks’”,  and  Red  Lightning’"  are  registered  trademarks  of  Strategic  Simulations  Incorporated®  nMlllwwl 


-f  Mr 


msoN 


Surprise:  Many  RIVEN  Buyers  Play  Other  Games,  Too 

On  exceedingly  rare 
occasions  (hang  on 
while  [ remove  the 
glossal  member  from 
the  inside  of  my  cheek), 
those  of  us  privileged 
to  expostulate  and 
pontificate  within  the 
media  may  overstate  our  positions. 

This  probably  Isn't  surprising  to 
those  of  you  who  know  about  my 
MY5T  bias.  My  original  assertion 
about  the  game  was,  "i  don't  think 
you'll  lose  any  money  on  it.  I just 
hope  you're  not  counting  on  a big 
hit,"  Okay,  we  can't  be  right  about 
everything'.  Recently,  I was  called 
out  on  a different  mantra,  to  wit, 

"MYST  and  RIVEN  players  don'fbuy 
other  games."  Actually,  that  last 
statement  is  probably  the  most 
benign  of  all  my  comments  about 
the  two  megasuccesses. 


particularly  interesting  because  the 
sample  size  is  larger  than  that  in 
any  of  the  surveys  C6H/has  com- 
missioned. So,  in  answer  to  the 
question,  "Do  RIVEN  players  play 
other  games?"  we  provide  statis- 
tics from  the  RIVEN  registration 
cards  (1 998),  the  Computer 
Gaming  in  America  study  (1 997), 
and  the  Computer  Gaming  World 
Subscriber  Study  (1 997). 

Obviously,  one  would  expect 
purchasers  of  adventure  games  like 


31  percent  participation  (compared 
to  the  43  percent  among  core 
gamers  and  62  percent  among 
CGrt'subscribers).  In  the  Classics/ 
Puzzles  genre,  they  equal  the  37 
percent  participation  among  casual 
gamers,  but  lag  slightly  behind  the 
43  percent  among  CGkV sub- 
scribers and  53  percent  found  in 
the  core  gamers.  In  the  Action 
game  category.  RIVEN  registrants 
aren't  far  behind  the  casual  gamers 
with  41  percent  participation  com- 


In  gaming  habits,  RIVEN  regis- 
trants aren't  far  below  the  numbers 
in  our  surveys.  Our  Computer 
Gaming  in  America  study  showed 
that  53  percent  of  casual  and  40 
percent  of  core  gamers  play  five  or 
fewer  hours  per  week,  compared  to 
56  percent  of  RIVEN  registrants. 
However.  CGIA  showed  that  22 
percent  of  casual  and  47  percent  of 
core  gamers  play  more  than  1 1 
hours  per  week  compared  to  8 per- 
cent of  RIVEN  registrants. 


Of  course,  when  Humpty- 
Dumpty  sits  on  a wall,  we  can  all 
expect  omelets.  So,  Red  Orb 
Entertainment  has  graciously  decid- 
ed to  prove  me  wrong.  After  being 
sent  the  raw  results  of  the  registra- 
tion survey  from  RIVEN,  I'm  ready 
to  revise  my  previous  assertion. 
Since  RiVEN's  audience  reaches 
beyond  the  circumference  of  even 
casual  gamers,  the  percentages  are 
generally  lower  than  in  other  sur- 
veys. Yet,  the  results  are  interesting. 
Players  of  the  two  megabits  do 
play  some  games.  The  results  are 


pared  to  47  percent  of  casual,  66 
percent  of  core,  and  75  percent  of 
CGiy  subscribers. 


MYST  and  RIVEN  to  play  adventure 
games.  Naturally,  they  do:  77  per- 
cent of  RIVEN  registrants  play  other 
adventure  games.  This  compares  to 
53  percent  among  casual  gamers, 
68  percent  among  core  gamers, 
and  67  percent  among  CGIVsub- 
scribers.  Now,  for  the  surprises. 

In  the  Role-Playing  category, 
RIVEN  registrants  actually  outgame 
casual  gamers  (25  percent)  with  a 


Nor  were  the  33  percent 
of  RIVEN  registrants  who  partici- 
pate in  Simulation  games  far 
behind  the  40  percent  of  casual, 

49  percent  of  core,  and  75  percent 
of  CGkV subscribers  who  play 
those  types  of  games.  Only  in 
Sports  (20  percent  compared  to 
33  percent  of  casual,  40  percent 
of  core,  and  40  percent  CGkVsub- 
scribers)  and  Wargames  (1 6 per- 
cent compared  to  31  percent  of 
casual,  39  percent  of  core,  and  58 
percent  of  CG1V subscribers)  did 
RIVEN  registrants  fall  far  short  of 
normal  numbers. 


Percent  responding  who: 

RIVEN  Owners’ 

Casual  Gamers^ 

Core  Gamers^ 

CGW  Subsaibers^ 

Plav  Action  Games 

41 

47 

66 

75 

Plav  Adventure  Games 

77 

53 

68 

67 

Piav  Classics/Puzzles 

37 

37 

53 

43 

Plav  Role-Plavina  Games 

31 

25 

43 

62 

Plav  Simulation  Games 

33 

40 

49 

75 

Plav  Sports  Games 

20 

33 

40 

40 

Play  Wargames/Military 

16 

31 

39 

58 

' RIVEN  registrants  who  filled  out  a Broderbund  sun/ey. 

^ Source:  Computer  Gaming  in  America,  1997;  casual  is  defined  as  those  gamers  who  buy  3.4  games 
a year,  on  average. 

^ Source:  Computer  Gaming  in  America,  1 997;  core  is  defined  as  those  who  buy  24  games  a year,  on  average. 
' Participants  of  the  1 997  Computer  Gaming  World  Subscriber  Study. 


What,  then,  do  these  statistics 
reveal?  First,  they  indicate  that  I 
was  in  error  when  I declared  a pox 
on  all  RIVEN  gamers  as  being  para- 
sites who  buy  only  one  product 
every  eon  or  so,  but  cause  a dis- 
parate amount  of  investment  with- 
in companies  trying  to  duplicate 
the  phenomenon. 

Second,  they  indicate  that  RIVEN 
gamers  are  beginning  to  broaden 
their  scope  and  try  other  types  of 
gaming.  This  is  excellent  news.  It 
bodes  further  expansion  in  the 
market.  In  the  long  run,  however.  It 
may  be  bad  news  to  the  hard-core 
in  that  it  indicates  more  potential 
customers  who  don't  like  the  car- 
nage, mayhem,  and  bloodlust  that 
forms  a major  part  of  the  core 
game  library. 

Third,  the  results  suggest  that 
there  are  subject  areas  and  designs 
that  can  reach  this  greater  audi- 
ence. However,  the  data  also  sug- 
gest that  there  is  no  one  sure-fire 
way  to  reach  them.  More  experi- 
mentation will  be  required,  and 
experimentation  is  expensive. 

We  can  always  learn  from  sur- 
veys and  statistics.  Let's  just  hope 
we  learn  the  right  lessons  and 
don't  kill  the  hobby  while  we're 
chasing  the  goose  that  lays  the 
golden  eggs. 


J j^as  in  error  when  I declared  a 

pox  on  all  RIVEN  playeff.f 


v.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


fiiwim 

I E G E IM  D S ” 


C1998  Sierra  OH'Unfl,  Inc.  ®and  '“dosignaia  Iraflamarks  of,  or  licensed  lo,  Sierra  On-Line,  Inc,,  Bellevue,  WA  98007.  All  rigWs  reserved,  Papyrus'" and  the  www.siepi*aspoi*ts.com 

Papyrus  logo  are  trademarte  of  Papyrus  Design  Group,  Inc,  All  older  Iredemarks  are  the  property  of  their  respective  owners  and  are  used  under  permission.  ^ 


^ In  1968,  they  changed  the  rules  of  Grand  Prix  racing 
to  cut  down  on  driver  fatalities. 


Pulling  out  of  a power  slide.  The  g-forces  throwing  you  around  the  cockpit.  You  realize, 
you're  sitting  behind  the  truest  3D  engine  ever  built.  Racing  the  likes  of  Jack  Brabham  and 
Jim  Clark.  At  Monza,  Spa  and  Nurburgring.  1967  was  a historic  turning  point  in  Formula 
One  racing.  Welcome  to  Grand  Prix  Legends™.  Racing  sims  will  never  be  Lhe  same. 


www.compiJtergaming.com/lnfolink 


rr;  ■ ’ j Top-notch  3D  graphics  showcase  cities, 

scorched  terrain,  reai-time  lighting  effects, 
and  the  AH-64A  Apache  combat  helicopter. 


Test  your  combat  skills  in  two  full 
campaigns  and  18  stand  alone  missions; 
mission  editor  provided  for  extended 
gameplay. 


Interactive  flight  environment  registers  turbulence  from 
explosions,  blasts,  and  other  aircraft  - support  for  force 
feedback  joysticks  included! 


j AAanage  your  team  of  ace  pilots! 
Options  include  skill  ratings,  fatigue 
and  morale  management,  recruitment, 
and  courts  martial. 


Training  mode  with  instructor  feedback, 
adjustable  difficulty  settings,  and 
easy/advanced  flight  models  will  get 
you  in  the  air  fast. 


Supports  both  head-to-head  and 
cooperative  multiplayer  for  dogfights 
over  the  internet,  on  a local  network,  or 
modem  to  modem  against  your  buddy. 


SIAAiS 


Go  to  #189  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 

www.teamapache.mfnclscape.co) 


©1998  Simis  Holdings  Ltd.  All  rights  reserved.  Team  Afiache 
of  Simis  Holding  Lid.  used  under  license  by  Mindscope  Inc. 


trademark 


I am  a Uruguayan  subscriber  to  your  magazine.  I 
have  to  congratulate  you  on  your  mag.  But  I 
found  a glitch  in  your  June  issue.  In  your  review  of 
FIFA  Road  to  World  Cup  98,  a picture  shows  Brazil 
beating  Uruguay  4-0.  Although  our  soccer  selection 
is  currently  bad,  we  have  never  been  beaten  like  that 
by  Brazil.  Remember  Maracana  1 950? 

— Federico  Brubacher 
A Pleased  Customer 
via  the  Internet 

Oh,  yeah,  Maracana  in  1 950,  what  a time  we  had  then. 
Woo-hoo. 

Seriously,  there's  a simple  reason  why  Brazil  aced 
Uruguay  in  our  June  review — the  reviewer's  wife  is 
Brazilian,  She  wouldn 't  let  him  in  the  front  door  if  he  had 
lost  to  Uruguay.  We  meant  no  disrespect — Uruguay  has  a 
distinguished  World  Cup  reputation — but  when  your  wife 
is  a Latin  Kung-fu  expert,  you  don 't  have  a lot  of  latitude 
in  these  matters.  We  hope  you  understand. 


iARRIBA  URUGUAY!  A bug  in  nFA  98  does  allow 
Uruguay  to  beat  Brazil  in  rare  instances. 


Prose  and  Khan 

It  is  grossly  inappropriate  to  have 
a quote  advocating  the  rape  of 
women  and  children  in  a preview 
for  a videogame  /CGW  ^168,  July 
1998,  p.  53].  Quotes  like  this 
perpetuate  the  problem  of  sexual 
assault.  Rape  is  not  an  adver- 
tisement. Everyone  reading  this 
probably  knows  someone  who  has 
survived  a sexual  assault.  Because 
of  this,  we  should  all  be  offended. 

— David  Kalish 
Sexual  Assault  Prevention 
and  Education  Specialist 
West  Vi^inia  University 

Mr.  Kalish  refers  to  a quote  from 
Genghis  Khan,  the  13th  century 
Mongolian  ruler.  In  the  quote,  Khan 
counted  conquest  abduction,  and 
horse  theft  among  his  favorite 


activities.  We  do  not  think 
recounting  the  700-year-old 
viewpoint  of  a Mongolian  warlord 
perpetuates  sexual  assault  nor  do 
we  believe  taking  offense  at  such 
historical  quotes  is  warranted. 
However,  we  did  neglect  to  include 
the  following  disclaimer:  The 
opinions  of  Genghis  Khan  are  not 
necessariiy  those  of  this  magazine, 
its  staff,  or  the  management  of  Ziff- 
Davis,  Inc. 

And  We 
Don't  Stink 

I must  say  that  I was  pleased 
and  surprised  to  see  the  new 
magazine  layout  when  I received 
my  latest  issue  of  CGW  [11168,  July 
1998].  No  doubt  you  will  get  some 
complaints  from  the  stodgy, 

Colonel  Mustard  types  who  are  still 


reliving  their  old,  glorious  cam- 
paigns on  hexagonal  wargame 
maps.  I think,  however,  that  it  is  a 
welcome  breath  of  fresh  air  in  a 
publication  that  was  in  danger  of 
becoming  overly  fossilized. 

The  new  design  is  clean,  fresh, 
well-organized  and  easy  on  the 
eyes,  Keep  up  the  good  work.  The 
only  major  complaint  I have  is  the 
increasing  amount  of  ads  that 
feature  those  folded  over  pages.  I 
really  hate  to  have  pages  flop  out 
when  I am  reading.  That  is  why  I 
riffle  through  CGH^and  rip  out 
those  pages  before  I settle  down  to 
peruse  the  contents.  If  companies 
are  paying  extra  money  to  buy  ads 
with  the  fold-overs,  it  is  wasted 
money  as  far  as  I'm  concerned. 

If  an  ad  cannot  tell  me  what  I 
need  to  know  in  a normal  one  or 
two  page  layout,  then  it  isn't  worth 
my  time  trying  to  read  the  folded- 
over  portions. 

lam  just  grateful  that  your 
magazine  doesn't  have  those 
obnoxious  perfume  inserts, 

— Jeanne  Conrad 
via  the  Internet 

Apology  Accepted 

After  reading  a letter  in  your 
June  issue  from  Michael  Bucknam  I 
feel  1 owe  CGW,  in  general,  and 
Martin  Cirulis,  in  particular,  a bit  of 
an  apology.  In  my  previous  letter 
(which  was  printed  in  its  entirety  in 
issue  #1 64)  I took  both  Mr.  Cirulis 
and  your  magazine  to  task  about 
his  blaming  the  trend  towards 
biased  previews  and,  specifically, 
"pre-revlewing"  an  unfinished 
product.  After  reading  Mr. 
Bucknam's  letter,  I have  come  to 
understand  your  viewpoint  (and 
that  of  Mr.  Cirulis)  a bit  better. 

There  Is  enormous  pressure  on  your 


editorial  staff  to 
review  a game 
"as  soon  as  it 
hits  the 
shelves,"  or 
even  before.  It 
simply  never 
dawned  on  me 
that  there  were 
people  who 
purchase 
products  (like  Mr.  Bucknam)  based 
solely  on  advertisements,  or  who 
are  influenced  so  strongly  by  your 
reviews. 

Let  me  say  right  now  I think  you 
guys  are  the  on/y  gaming  magazine 
that  tells  it  like  it  rea//y  is  (as  an 
aside,  a competitor  of  yours  gave 
Ultima  Onune  four  stars  in  the  same 
month  you  gave  it  coaster  of  the 
year),  and  I trust  the  reviews 
implicitly  and,  almost  always,  agree 
with  them.  That  said,  I would  never 
base  a purchase  solely  on  one  of 
them,  even  by  a reviewer  I have 
read  and  found  to  be  accurate  for 
years.  There  are  simply  too  many 
factors  involved  for  me  to  buy  on 
one  source,  no  matter  how  much  I 
trust  them,  especially  since  any 
review,  ultimately,  boils  down  to 
one  (or  very  few)  people's  opinions, 
I just  find  it  odd  that  in  this  day  of 
demos,  downloads,  shareware 
copies,  etc.  that  a gamer  would  buy 
a product  based  on  any  one  source 
regardless  of  its  prestige. 

When  I buy  a game  I do  use  your 
reviews  as  a guide,  but  only  if  I've 
had  some  other  sources  confirm  the 
rating  as  accurate.  I either  play  a 
demo  or  read  all  the  reviews  of  a 
product,  and  if  all  the  opinions  are 
about  the  same,  only  then  do  I lay 
down  the  cash.  I collect  as  much 
information  about  the  game  as 
possible  before  the  money  ever 
leaves  my  wallet. 

I am,  as  your  magazine  puts  it,  a 
"core  gamer,"  and  maybe  that's 
the  difference  between  myself  and 
Mr.  Bucknam.  I've  been  where  he 
went  with  LoM  many  times  over 
the  years,  and  1 have  learned  my 
lesson  well.  Buying  a game,  like 
buying  any  product,  should  be 
based  on  more  than  just  the  ads, 
especially  in  this  age  of  readily 


/.computergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


MACH  visa  trademark  of  Falcon  Northwest  computer  Systems. 

Half-Life  images  are  courtesy  of  valve,  LLC.  and  sierra  On-Line,  Inc. 
Half-Life  is  a trademark  of  Sierra  On-Line.  All  rights  reserved. 


FALCON  NORTHWEST 

COMPUTER  SYSTEMS 


COMPUTER 

GAMING 

Tlie  «1  PC  Gomo  Magazine  L l~^ 


ir  Denny  Aikin(Siinu)atioi>5) 
)rTeffy  Coiemsn  (Wargsmes) 
tor  Dave  Salvator  {Hartwarej 
Editors  Jeff  Green  {Adventure,  Sports}, 
Elliott  Chin  (Action,  Strategy) 
tor  Charlotte  Panther  (Ciasslcs/Puales) 
Copy  Chief  Joe  Vallina 
It  Editor  Alien  Greenberg 


Cofltrlbutins  Editors  Se^ia  (Adventure  Games), 
Chades  Ardal  (Interactive  Fiction),  Loyd  Case  (Hardware) 
Founder  Russell  SIpe 


Art  Director  Dan  Fitzpatrick 
Art  Director  Steven  Wanezyk 


Production  Director  Carlos  Lugo 
Production  Manager  Martin  Walthall 
Electronic  Prepress  Group 
Manager  Michele  Kellogg 
Assistant  Manager  Tamara  Gargus 
Senior  Prepress  Technician  Jackie  Cuneo 
Technician  Roger  Drake 


Address  cpiestions  and  feedback  to: 

CGWEdltorlal.  135  Main  SL,  t4th  Floor,  San  Frandsco,  CAS4103. 

Or  you  may  contact  us  via: 

' . Phone;  (4J5)  357-4900 

EditO{!3ifax:(415)357-4977 
CGWIettefS@zd.com 
site:  vmw.comptftergamlng, com 


Laura  Pitaniello  (212)  503-4851 
Megan  Moran  (212)  S03-3926 
est  Sales  Manager  Pat  Walsh  (949)  651-2556 
t Sales  Assistant  Sandy  Maidniak  (949)  652-5914 
Midwest  Sales  Marker  Marci  Yamaguchl  (415)  357-4944 
Silko^Vallf^orthwest  Sales  Manager 
ffuMontgomery{415)357-4925 
MarVetlng  Manager  Sat  Shaima  (415)  357-4935 
’ National  Account  Rep  Joann  Casey  (415)  3574920 
Advertising  Coordinator  Leslie  Ventimiglia  (415)  3574930 
Assistant  to  the  Publisher  Linda  Fan  (415)  357-5425 
Sales  Asdstant  Tallie  Conner  (415)  357-5398 


Address  inquiries  to  CCIV Advertising,  135  Main  5t„  14th  floor,  San 
, . Francisco.  CA  94105;  or  call  (415)  357-5398,  fax  (415)  3574999, 


Vice  President  Jon  lane 
Business  Manager  Cynthia  Mason 
Executtve  Director, 
Marketing  and  Research  Randy  Cohen 
Creative  Services  Manager  Francesca  Koe 


(303)  665-6M0  within  the  U.S,  aixl  Canada,  Alt^er  countries  call  (303)  604-744S 
■ « write  to  Computer  Gaming  WwM.  P.0,  Box  57167,  Boulder,  CO  80322-7167.  The 
i (W6yeaf{t2Is5ue)sub5criptoTaleisJ27.94inth«tJ.S.,endJ43,94Qulsiclethe 
U.S^  the  rate  for  one  year  (12  !ssue}subsciiptions  with  the  moothly  CD-ROM  Is 
S42.94  in  the  U.Sv  and  $56.94  outside  the  U.S.  Checks  must  he  made  payable  in  U.S. 
currency  only  to  Cons>u!ef  Gaming  World. 


Bad;  issues  can  be  ptjrdiascd  for  $8  in  the  Ui.  and  $ 1 0 outside  the  Ui.  (C04IOM  version 
not  available).  Prepays^  is  nersssaiy.  Checks  must  be  made  payable  in  U.S.  cunsKy 
otily  to  Computer  Gaming  WodcL  MaS  your  request  to  Back  tssueis.  ZrR-Davb  Ittc.  P.O. 
BoxS3t3l,  BoukJer,  CO80322-3t3l. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD*  AUGUST  1998 


available  information. 

Play  a demo,  read 
previews,  look  at  past 
products  in  the  same 
mold  from  the  same 
company — that  is  howto 
make  an  informed  buying 
decision, 

I now  more  fully 
understand  the  pressures  put 
on  your  magazine  by  people 
like  Mr.  Bucknam  who  seem  to 
want  you  to  spoon  feed  them  a 
list  of  what  to  buy  and  what  not 
to  buy,  I'm  also  very  impressed 
that  your  magazine,  unlike  your 
competitors',  has  kept  to  its  policy 
of  not  reviewing  anything  but 
finished  product.  To  do  so  in  the 
face  of  such  pressure  makes  me  all 
the  more  grateful  to  you. 

While  I will  always  take  exception 
to  any  publisher  who  reviews  a product 
before  it's  finished  and  on  the  store  shelves,  I 
have  a lot  more  sympathy  towards  you  guys 
now.  All  1 can  say  is,  "Sorry  guys  (and  gals)," 
and  please  keep  doing  what  you  do  best: 
giving  honest,  thoughtful  reviews.  Thanks  for 
listening. 

— ^Sfeve  Fox 
via  the  Internet 

Hear,  hear! 

I just  gotta  say  that  your  mag  rules,  and 
anyone  who  thinks  otherwise  should  be  shot 
in  the  forehead  and  kicked  down  a flight  of 
stairs  covered  in  flesh-eating  ants.  Your  3D 
section  in  the  June  issue  was  extremely 
helpful,  and  now  1 know  that  I really  could 
use  a 3D  accelerator,  and  which  one  to  buy. 
Thanks,  and  peace. 

— Zach  Heidemann 
via  the  Internet 

Coaster  Arts  & Crafts 

CGWhas  become  the  technology 
magazine  in  our  (core  gamer)  household.  The 
info  you  provide  about  hardware,  upgrading, 
and  operating  systems  covers  all  we  need 
and  want  to  know  about  our  PC.  Your 
reviews  are  so  on-target  that  my  New  Year's 
resolution  for  1 998  is  to  wait  until  I read  your 
critiques  before  purchasing  any  new  games. 
It's  tough — I am  a big  fan  of  DSD  style  RPGs, 
a genre  that  has  been  barren  as  of  late,  Last 
year  I just  had  to  grab  Lands  of  Lore; 

Guardians  of  Destiny  and  Descent  to 
Undermountain  the  second  they  hit  the  store 


shelves.  Ugh! 

I believe  I have  finally  learned  my 
lesson.  I don't  even  cross  the  portals  of 
software  retailing  locations  unless  I have  a 
CG^Vfour-star  review  in  my  paws.  Just  one 
request — I have  more  coasters  than  I can 
possibly  use.  How  about  an  article  or  two  on 
CD-ROM  arts  & crafts?  A mobile,  maybe? 
High-tech  birdfeeders?  I just  hate  to  toss 
those  $50  dud  discs  without  considering 
recycling  in  some  way.  Thanks  for 
maintaining  a quality  publication. 

— Cindy  Bogart 
via  the  Internet 

Wow,  thanks  for  the  feedback!  And  just  to 
show  our  appreciation,  we'll  let  you  in  on  a 
little  secret:  We've  got  a huge  RPG  feature  in 
store.  Our  October  issue,  which  comes  out  in 
early  September,  will  have  Juicy  in-depth 
details  on  the  hottest  upcoming  RPGs: 

Wizardry  8,  Ultima:  Ascension,  Swords  S 
Sorcery,  Baldur's  Gate,  and  Return  to 
Krondor.  We're  about  to  experience  a bona 
fide  role-playing  resurrection — finally— so 
get  ready  to  be  happy.  As  for  your  arts  and 
crafts  idea,  we  think  it's  fantastic. 

Unfortunately,  as  shown  by  the  above 
prototype  sketch  (leaked  from  Martha 
Stuart's  offices),  we  maybe  too  late. 

Dep't.  of  Corrections 

By  the  time  our  June  issue  came  out,  the  ^ 
Web  address  had  changed  for  Operation  « 
3.D.F.X.  It's  now  www.op3dfx.com.  ^ 

Also,  we  regret  spelling  Age  of  Empires  h 
Designer  Bruce  Shelley's  name  incorrectly  in  g 
July,  but  we  swear  it  wasn't  our  fault.  Mr.  < 
Shelley  has  business  cards  with  an  incorrect  « 
spelling  of  his  name.  Way  to  go,  Bruce!  ;■)  ^ 


www.computergaming.com 


Monster  Truck  Madness*  2 is  here,  with  more  ground-pounding,  trash-talking  fun  than  the  original.  Featuring  20  trucks  that 
show  the  damage  you  dish  out,  including  four  new  WOW"  and  nWo"  WrestleTrucks  like  “Hollywood"  Hogan.  Risky  night  racing 
and nasty  weather  options.  Thumping  force-feedback  support.  The  SummitRumble,  an  outrageous  multiplayer  game  of  “king  ofthehill. 
■ Anrffl  wild  new  tracks.  Get  your  free  demo  and  start  crushing  the  competition  at  www.microsoft.com/games/monsfer/ 


Hwrpirrntnn  CoiDOfaliiiR.  All  MicroscFt  and  Monster 

Swffnvvidiinaiksof  Microsoft  uxodstlon  in  (ht  United  Statu  en4AMillMreotiKrt«. 

(icHiMBr  ffi^itets  ami  company  tiamos  nmitioiml  herein  may  |»  fte  UadeMarks  of  Itreii  rajpeciW  (miks. 


fl 


? -''i  I 


NEWS 'FROM  THE  COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD 


£5  iVEi/i/s  • £5  /Vfi/i/s  * e3  News  •es  News 


Fear  and  Loathing 

'"Atlanta 


Attending  E3.  the  Electronic 

Entertainment  Exposition,  is  a lot 
like  being  trapped  inside  a gargan- 
tuan sub-woofer.  You're  pummeled 
by  the  crowds;  assaulted  by  sound 
vibrations  only  a few  decibels  short  of  a perpet- 
ual sonic  boom;  entranced  by  more  dancing  col- 
ors and  shapes  than  a hippy  having  acid 
flashbacks  during  a Doors  video; 
and  promised  more  games  for 
"Christmas"  than  an 
entire  city  full  of 


greedy  children  could  possibly  beg  from  Santa 
Claus.  It's  a carnival  of  chaos  and  cacophony,  an 
amazing  midway  of  marketing  barkers  trying  to 
steer  you  into  one  freak  show  after  another. 
There  was  even  a booth  giving  away  mutilated 
rabbit  remains  (well. . .rabbit's  feet!).  If  any  trade 
show  was  ever  more  Vegas  than  Vegas,  it’s  E3 ! 


"Step  right  up,"  say  the  PR  ringleaders,  the 
marketing  gurus,  the  proud  developers,  and 
executives.  "Never  before,"  wax  the  claims, 
climbing  higher  and  higher  until  they  find  them- 
selves towering  over  reality  like  a BattleTech 
'mech  stomping  on  a foot  soldier.  Hype  and  hip, 
hope  and  hoke  all  combine  to  point  the  way  to 
what  we'll  see  on  store  shelves  in  the  future. 

If  E3  is  an  accurate  impression,  we'll  see  a 
whole  lot  of  action  going  on.  Action  will  perme- 
ate and  influence  nearly  every  genre.  The  adven- 
ture, sports,  role-playing,  and  strategy  genres 
will  all  feature  heavy  action-oriented  compo- 
nents in  most  of  their  products.  3D  will  domi- 
nate with  titles  like  MESSIAH  and  DRAKAN  lead- 
ing the  way.  3D  acceleration  is  even  beginning 
to  appear  in  turn-based  strategy  games  like 


STAR  TREK:  THE  NEXT  GENERATION-BIRTH  OF  THE 
FEDERATION  and  more  traditional  adventure 
games,  such  as  GABRIEL  KNIGHT  111:  BLOOD  OF 
THE  SACRED,  BLOOD  OF  THE  DAMNED.  Even 
LucasArts  is  using  3D  acceleration  in  INDIANA 
JONES  AND  THE  INFERNAL  MACHINE.  3D  Audio  is 
also  starting  to  have  an  impact,  as  in  the  long- 
awaited  UNREAL  where  you  can  finally  hear 
monsters  behind  you;  and,  believe  it  or  not,  in 
the  largely  text-based  CROSSROADS,  from  VR-1 . 

It  isn't  all  good  news,  though.  If  E3  is  an 
accurate  impression,  we'll  also  be  seeing  some 
aspects  of  the  hobby  that  aren't  so  exciting. 
Several  companies  danced  around  mergers 
that  may  or  may  not  be  in  the  best  inter- 
est of  gamers.  Two  companies.  Interplay 
and  Interactive  Magic,  were  readying 
initial  public  offerings,  but  facing  less 
initial  excitement  than  they  had 
hoped.  One  company,  MicroProse,  just 
announced  another  horrendous  quar- 
ter and  one  wonders  how  long  they  can 
survive — at  least,  how  long  they  can  sur- 
vive with  multiple  development  studios.  In 
addition,  the  Fourth  Quarter  obsession  contin- 
ues. Rarely  did  any  development  team  admit 
that  a game  being  demonstrated  was  nof  for 
"Christmas."  Unfortunately,  only  about  half  of 
those  so  designated  looked  like  they  had  a legit- 
imate shot.  Finally,  as  in  most  hit-driven  busi- 
nesses, we're  seeing  more  and  more  clones. 
Although  some  of  the  game  designs  shown  at 
this  E3  had  fresh  ideas,  there  were  no  particular- 
ly fresh  subjects  or  revolutionary  ideas. 

So,  E3  gives  us  a choice.  We  can  either  be 
the  disappointed  child  who  comes  to  the 
carnival  to  see  the  freak  show,  only  to  discov- 
er that  he's  being  defrauded  by  fake  prosthet- 
ics and  clever  staging,  or  we  can  be  the 
delighted  child  who  experiences  wonderment 
over  the  fastest,  prettiest,  loudest,  coolest, 
and  most  amazing  experiences  yet  to  grace 
the  computer  screen.  We're  probably  a 
little  of  both. — Johnny  Wilson 


www.compulergaming.com 


While  Hopeful  Gamers  Lined 
Up  to  Meet  f/ieX-Files  Star, 
CGW  Got  the  Inside  Scoop 

while  ago,  that  was,  i think,  even  before  my 


Thousands  of  X-f\ks  fanatics' 
dreams  came  true  at  E3,  when 
Gillian  Anderson,  a.k.a.  Agent 
Dana  Scully,  showed  up  at  the 
Fox  Interactive  booth  to  sign 
autographs  and  promote  Fox's  upcoming 
title,  THE  X-FILES  GAME.  Before  she  greeted 
her  fans,  Ms.  Anderson  took  some  time  to 
talk  to  us  about  her  experiences  working  on 
the  game,  the  upcoming  movie,  and  much 
more.  Here  are  highlights  of  the  interview; 
for  a complete  transcript  head  to  www. 
gamespotcom.  — Charlotte  Panther 


CGW:  Did  you  or  David  ever  play 
videogames,  and  If  so,  what  were,  or  what 
are,  your  favorites? 

Anderson:  I can't  speak  for  David;  I imagine 
that  he  doesn't  play  videogames.  I have  played 
some.  Many  years  ago  I played  TETRIS  and  I've 
played  MYST — just  a litlie  bit  though.  I mean  I've 
said  this  a lot  in  other  interviews  but  I'm  terrified 
of  losing  consciousness  or  delving  into  some 
other  reality  that  I'm  not  able  to  come  out  of, 
and  forget  I'm  a mother  and  have  responsibili- 
ties. TORTURED  SOULS— it’s  like  TETRIS  but  with 
eyeballs  falling  down,  I really  like  that— that's  a 


daughter  was  born.  And  now,  the  only  time  I 
really  take  out  my  lap-top  at  all  is  when  I take  it 
out  and  play  ARTHUR  GOES  TO  SCHOOL  and 
GREEN  EGGS  AND  HAM.  1 have  requested  a lot  of 
CD-ROMs,  educational  CD-ROMs,  dictionaries, 
pictionaries,  encyclopedias,  and  stuff  that  are  still 
in  their  packages.  But  they're  there  for  when  I 
have  some  time, 

According  to  Fox  Interactive  President 
John  Richmond,  it  took  some  convincing 
from  Chris  Carter  or  someone  in  the  show 
to  get  you  to  participate  in  the  game.  Did 


The  Hit 

someone  in  the  show  convince  everyone 
else  to  be  a part  of  it? 

! wasn't  privy  to  any  of  that  I was  asked  when 
I knew  they  were  doing  it  and  I wasn't  sure  that  I 
had  much  choice.  I showed  up  to  Seattle  and  we 
did  it 

After  the  initial  filming,  you  went  back 
to  the  game's  producers  and  toid  them 
that  you'd  be  wiiiing  to  give  them  more 
time.  Was  it  because  you  enjoyed  the 


experience  that  much? 

No,  it  was  because  I wanted  a free  ride  to 
Seattle  [laughs).  No,  I knew  that  they  didn't  have 
everything  they  wanted  and,  I like  the  Four 
Seasons  hotel  in  Seattle  [laughs  again). 

You've  already  got  quite  a large  fol- 
lowing on  the  Internet.  Are  you  anxious 
or  perturbed  that  by  participating  in  the 
game  your  bringing  a new  fraternity  of 
unwashed  geeks  to  your  fan  base?  How 
do  you  feei  about  your  fans,  and,  specifi- 
caliy,  the  iarge  internet  following  that 
you  have? 

I haven't  actually  had  that  concern — unwashed 
geeks— or  adding  to  the  amount  of  fan  base.  I 
don't  have  much  interaction  with  them,  I don't  log 
on  to  any  of  the  Web  sites  about  me  or  the  show 
or  Scully's  dog  or  whatever  is  out  there.  And  obvi- 
ously, as  far  as  I'm  concerned,  you  know,  it's  a 
safe  realm.  Most  of  the  Web  sites  are  safe  realms 
for  people  to  communicate  about  something  that 
they  have  a mutual  enjoyment  of.  And  it's  not 
harming  anybody.  It's  certainly  not  harming  me. 

Did  you  get  to  play  the  game? 

No,  I haven't  yet. 

Will  you? 

Yes.  I will  probably  play  it  for  about  maybe  1 5 
or  20  minutes. 

Do  you  have  a favorite  X-Files  episode? 

Every  season,  I usually  have  one  of  that  season, 
but  I think  one  of  my  all-time  favorites  now  was 
from  this  past  season,  called  'Bad  Blood,"  which 
was  an  episode  written  by  Vince  Gilligan.  It  was 
Mulder  and  Scully's  individual  versions  of  an 
episode,  and  basically  our  recounting  of  that.  It 
was  fun  and  challenging  to  film,  and  even  more 
fun  to  watch. 

Would  you  do  a game  again  if  Fox  was 
interested  in  doing  a sequel? 

If  it  was  a sequel  to  THE  X-FiLES  GAME.  I 

ofE3 

mean,  hopefully  they  would  only  do  it  if  this  is 
successful,  so  if  this  is  successful.  I'd  be  more 
than  happy  to. 

What  about  the  movie? 

If  it's  successful,  I hope  we  do  another  one.  I 
mean,  hopefully,  we're  not  going  to  be  doing  the 
series  for  the  next  1 0 years,  and  doing  the  movies 
on  the  hiatus.  Hopefully,  the  film  will  be  so  suc- 
cessful that  the  series  will  trail  off  and  we'll  just 
be  doing  the  movies  once  in  a while. 


Gillian 

Ander 


^ • £5  iV£l/l/S  • E5  J\f£l/I/S  • £5  JVfl/l/S  • £5  iV£l/l 


v.computergiiming.com 


COMPUTER  OAMINO  WORLD  » AUGUST  1996 


^ail-in 


rebate 


oMi 


HMSduringthe  month 


gt^gun 


gtiiTiiaiandJjgggjMaS 


,Ml|...-.....lt6amg|| 


Here  Is  how  to  send  In  for  your  Spec  Ops: 
Rangers  Lead  the  Way'^'^  ($17.76  Rebate  check) 


rin 


1.  Purchase  Spec  Opsi  Rangers  Lead  the  Way  (between  July  1,  1998 
and  July  31  1998). 

2.  Mail  in  this  original,  completed  coupon  along  with  a copy  of  your 
doted  soles  receipt  and  original  UPC  bar  code  from  the  carton  os 
proof  of  purchase  to;  8PIC  OPS-DIMO  Rebate;  PO  Bex  53940 
Dept.  #14997;  Phoenix,  AZ  8907a-a940 


Ri-P  ““rill  it 


^n<fiC  in! 


Print 

Name 


Requests  must  be  postmarked  by  August  31 


Offer  valid  in  the  USA  only.  Net  valid  with  any  other  offer.  Umit 
one  request  per  nome/family/address.  Rebate  request  must  be 
postmarked  by  August  31,  1998.  Please  allow  8-10  weeks  for 
processing.  Not  responsible  for  late  or  misdirected  moll.  Void  where 
prohibited,  taxed  or  restricted  by  law.  Requests  from  groups,  post 
office  boxes,  or  erganixotlons  will  not  be  honored.  Fraudulent 
submission  of  multiple  requests  could  result  in  federal  prosecution 
under  the  U.S.  Mail  Fraud  Statutes  (16  U5C,  Section  1341  and  1342). 
This  certificate  may  net  be  reproduced,  traded  or  sold. 

This  offer  not  good  on  "Spec  Ops:  Ranger  Ob|eetive]ii".  I _ 


State 


■N 


Telephone 


E3  Sizzlers  & Fizzlers! 

The  20  Best  and  5 Worst  Games  at  E3 


Hsmeworld 


* 


Relic's  HOMEWORLD  Was  the  Most 
Innovative  and  Exciting  Game  ofE3 


In  a show  crammed  with  clones  Jk  p 

of  the  latest  3D  shooter  or  TOMB 
RAIDER,  one  game  that  stood  out  t 

above  the  rest  was  newcomer  of  the 
Relic's  HOMEWORLD.  At  its  most  ^ ^ ^ 
basic  level,  HOMEWORLD  is  a real-  |||  wW 

time  strategy  game.  But  that  label 

can  only  be  loosely  applied  here.  Technologically,  visually,  and  tac- 
tically, HOMEWORLD  is  very  different  from  what  has  come  before. 

HOMEWORLD  is  a strategy  game  that  follows  a nomadic  space-far 
ing  race  on  its  return  trip  to  a lost  homeworld.  You  command  this 
haphazard  fleet  on  their  journey,  and  along  the  way,  meet  aliens, 
traders,  marauders,  and  the  evil  race  responsible  for  their  exile.  The 
campaign  is  the  least  known  part  of  the  game,  but  Relic  says  it 
wants  to  make  the  single-player  experience  as  moving  and  emotion 
al  as  a movie.  There  will  be  NPCs  to  talk  to,  multiple  mission  paths, 
and  an  engaging  story  to  drive  gameplay  forward. 


Age  of  Empires  II 

(Strategy)  [Cue  trumpet  flourish] 
Knights  and  noblemen,  queens 
and  countrymen,  I give  you 
Microsoft's  AGE  OF  EMPIRES  II!  We 
enter  the  middle  ages  with  great 
crusades,  castles,  robust  economic 
and  diplomatic  options,  and  dev- 
astating new  siege  engines.  And 
wait  till  you  see  the  formation 
combat...  Q1  '99 

Anachronox  (RPG)  Tom 
Hall's  RPG  for  Ion  Storm  is  slowly 
moving  from  the  design  to  pro- 
duction stage.  The  programmers 
are  creating  more  realistic  envi- 
ronments than  those  in  any  other 
QUAKE  ll-based  game.  The  addi- 
tion of  a real-time  panning  cam- 
era is  opening  up  the  possibility 
for  tons  of  cinematic  shots  and 
storytelling,  a la  Final  fantasy 
VII,  but  in  real-time.  Although  this 
massive  game  is  still  a year  from 
completion,  the  potential  looks 
good.  Q3  '99 

Diablo  II  (Action/RPG) 
Blizzard's  follow  up  to  DIABLO  is 
certainly  not  just  more  of  the 
same:  A retooled  interface,  out- 
door environments,  multiplayer 
guilds,  and  lots  more  left  us  drool- 
ing for  this  long-awaited  sequel  to 
CGWs  1996  Game  of  the  Year. 

Q2  '99 

Drakan  (Action/Adventure) 
Pygnosis'  stunning  3D  action/ 
adventure  game,  DRAKAN.  casts 
you  as  Rynn,  a sword-wielding 
heroine  who  also  happens  to  be 
buddies  with  a fearless  dragon, 
Arokh.  Players  can  control  Rynn 
alone,  or  can  move  both  heroine 
and  dragon  together  with  Rynn 
riding  on  Arokh's  back,  as  they 
attempt  to  defeat  the  evil  sorcer- 
er, Kulrick,  and  his  minions. 

Q1  '99 


Duke  Nukem  Forever 

(Action)  Duke  does  Vegas  in  3D 
Realms  latest  extravaganza  with  a 
modified  QUAKE  II  engine  and  lav- 
ish 1 6-bit  graphics.  The  trademark 
interactivity  and  attitude  are  in 
evidence,  along  with  James  Bond- 
style  action  sequences  and  a 
female  companion — aptly  named 
Bombshell.  It  looks  great,  but 
you'll  probably  need  a 3D  card  to 
play  it.  Q4'98 

Fighter  Legends  (Sim) 

This  World  War  II  sim  from  Jane's 
Combat  Simulation  blew  us  away 
with  the  best  graphics  we've  ever 
seen  in  a simulation.  Multiplayer 
at  the  show  was  a blast,  with  WW 
II  ace  Bud  Anderson  giving  tips. 
The  powerful  mission  editor 
should  make  for  lasting  gameplay. 
Q3  '98 

Gabriel  Knight  3 

(Adventure)  The  long-awaited 
new  mystery  from  Jane  Jensen 
and  Sierra  has  the  makings  of  a 
classic,  with  a strong  storyline 
based  on  the  Knights  Templar,  and 
brand-new  3D  engine  replacing 
the  FMV  look  of  the  previous 
game.  Q4  '98 

Grim  Fandango 

(Adventure)  LucasArts’  "next- 
generation"  3D  adventure  game 
is  a funny,  surreal  tale  of  intrigue 
in  the  Land  of  the  Dead.  Easily  the 
coolest-looking  adventure  game 
at  E3.  Q4  '98 

Half-Life  (Action)  Valve’s 
shooter  should  be  ready  by  July, 
and  it  will  feature  the  most  realis- 
tic environments  yet.  The  alien 
beasts  in  this  game  show  far 
more  creativity  than  any  other 
shooter,  and  look  like  the  best- 
designed  monsters  since  DOOM. 
Q2  '98 


v.computergaming.f 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


FDR  EDTRED1E  HETIDD, 
VDU  DDD'T  DEED  R 
LARGER  DIDDITDR... 


i 

I 


VDU  HEED  H 


Download  demo  at:  www.extremewarfare.com 


Fully  3D  World. 


LARGER  UJDRLD. 


ieal  Time  1st  or  3rd  Person  Action.  Epic  Battle.  Epic  Story.  Play  with  32  players  over  the  Internet. 

Actoai  game  screenshots  except  where  noted.  More  screenshots  on  back  page.  - 


Prepare  for  an  epic  planetary  war  where  bigger  truly  is  better.  The  Sway,  a powerful  alien  race, 
have  obliterated  Earth.  Tough  luck.  Now  Mars  is  the  last  refuge  for  Mankind.  Whether  you  choose 
to  fight  as  the  Humans  or  the  Alien  Sway,  you'll  be  immersed  in  a huge  campaign  of  bruising, 
epic-sized  battles  that  will  demand  all  the  precision  fighting,  strategy,  and  courage  you  can 
muster.  Challenge  yourself  with  intense  commando-style,  single-player  missions  or  sign  up  for 
completely  unique,  team-competitive,  mission-based  multiplayer  combat. 

Think  you  have  what  it  takes?  Find  out  by  downloading  the  demo  at: 

www.extremewarfare.cotn 


■ More  depth  and  variety  th 
“shoot  everything’’  action 

■ Play  either  race:  Human  or  Alien 

■ ZO  single-player  missions 

■ 20  multiplayer  missions 
20  huge  maps,  all  set  on  Mars 

Indoor  and  Outdoor  Environments 
same  map 

■Team  based  multiplayer  gamepiay 

■ Up  to  32  players  on  the  Internet  via  Heat.Ne 
or  over  a LAN 


in  two 


Unparalleled  grouped  polygon  explosions 
and  accurate  real-time  lighting  effects,  all 
at  sustainable  high  framerates.  Really. 


Two  players  can  occupy  the  same  vehicle 
simultaneously  — one  as  the  gunner,  the 
other  as  pilot. 


Real-war  missions,  such  as  rescuing  POWs, 
leave  the  “deathmatch"  and  “capture  the 
flag"  scenarios  of  other  games  behind. 


Scalable  graphic  experience  — the  better  your 
system,  the  better  it  looks.  IVIost  3D  hardware 
supported,  but  not  required. 


Actual  game  screenshots  except  where  noted. 

1998  Broderbund  Software.  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.  Extreme  Warfare  and  Red  Orb  Enteitainment  are 
trademarks  of  Broderbund  Sotlware.  Inc.  All  other  company  names  and  products  are  trademarks  and/or 
registered  trademarks  of  their  respective  owners. 


nazioRB 


# 

TRILOBYTE 


Aliens  vs.  Predator  (strategy) 


This  action  game  from  Fox 
Interactive  combines  both 
movies'  creatures  with  a 
QUAKE-style  space  marine,  all 
of  whom  battle  in  an  intense 
free-for-all  multiplayer  mode. 
The  coolest  parts?  The  Alien 
character  can  run  on  any  sur- 
face, giving  you  a decidedly 
DESCENT-like  feel,  and  the 
Predator's  shimmering  cloak- 
ing mode  looks  just  as  cool  as 
it  did  in  the  movie.  Let's  hope 
the  single-player  game  is  this 
good.  Q4  '98 


Of  course,  what  made  our  jaws  drop  at  E3 
were  HOMEWORLD's  graphics  and  gameplay.The 
game  is  rendered  in  gorgeous,  real-time  3D.  Every 
single  object,  from  ships  to  nebulae,  is  polygonal. 
Your  playing  space  is  likewise  3D,  meaning  you 
can  finally  engage  in  Star  Wars-style  combat  with 
missiles,  lasers,  and  ships  flying  in  every  conceiv- 
able direction.  If  you  want  to  form  a wedge  of 
fighters  and  engulf  a capital  ship  with  fire  in  a 
360-degree  bubble,  you  can. 

With  everything  rendered  in  real-time,  many 
possibilities  for  altering  the  gameworld  come 
into  play.  You  can  charge  gas  clouds  with  ion 
cannons  and  make  any  harvesting  trips  into  the 
resource-rich  clouds  deadly  games  of  lightning 
roulette.  You  can  break  giant  asteroids  into  a 


minefield  of  smaller  asteroids  that  will  pelt  all 
ships  that  fly  through  the  rocky  swarm. 

The  attention  to  detail  in  HOMEWORLD  is  amaz- 
ing. Exhaust  trails  spew  forth  from  ship  engines; 
sparks  fly  when  hulls  get  peppered  with  laser  fire; 
nebulae  are  streaked  by  lightning  storms;  muzzle 
flashes  from  guns  light  up  ship  hulls;  and  thou- 
sands of  tines  of  context-sensitive  voice-overs  cre- 
ate the  feeling  that  your  space  battles  are  actually 
occurring.  Fighters  will  call  out  their  targets  and 
cry  for  help  when  they  get  hit. 

HOMEWORLD  looks  amazing,  and  the  potential 
for  incredible,  epic  battles  is  huge  considering  the 
brilliant  engine  that  is  bringing  Relic's  vision  to 
life.  The  only  question  is  whether  the  interface  will 
make  it  easy  to  issue  assignments  and  commands 
in  3D  space.  Relic  is  determined  to  make  every- 
thing as  easy  to  learn  and  play  as  possible.  The 
interface  right  now  is  a simple  one  of  left  and 
right  mouse  clicks  and  customizable  hot-keys.  The 
team  wants  every  player  to  be  able  to  create  the 
most  natural  configuration  for  themselves. 

While  HOMEWORLD  is  still  several  months  from 
shipping,  it's  already  taken  the  gaming  world  by 
storm.  With  its  innovative  look  and  design,  and 
because  of  its  movement  into  a full  3D  tactical 
arena,  it  could  take  strategy  gaming  further  than 
it's  ever  gone  before.  That's  why  it's  the  undisput- 
ed game  of  E3.  Q4  '98 


Messiah  (Action)  Dave  Perry's  MESSIAH 
is  a game  of  possession.  With  an  advanced 
engine  that  scales  its  polygons  to  create  the 
best  frame-rate,  and  a skeletal  animation 
system  that  allows  you  to  mess  with  every 
bone  of  a character's  body,  MESSIAH  is 
opening  up  dozens  of  possibilities  for  inter- 
acting with  your  enemies.  As  a baby  angel 
who  can  possess  others,  you  can  take  con- 
trol of  enemies  and  make  them  walk 
through  flames  or  off  catwalks  to  their 
death.  Q4  '98 

Sid  Meier's  Alpha  Centauri 

(Strategy)  The  real  "CIVILIZATION  in 
Space"  from  EA/Firaxis,  featuring  better  Al, 
more  diplomacy,  multiplay  options,  a hard 
sci-fi  tech  tree,  and  that  sense  of  wonder 
you  had  when  playing  the  original  CIV. 
While  it  lacks  the  sexiness  of  the  latest  3D 
shooters,  as  with  most  Sid  designs,  the 
play's  the  thing — this  is  easily  the  deepest 
game  we  saw  at  the  show.  Q4  '98 

SiN  (Action)  Ritual's  first-person  shooter 
looks  better  each  time  we  see  it.  There  are 
plenty  of  interactive  environments,  such  as 
pillars  that  can  be  destroyed  by  guards,  thus 
bringing  the  roof  crumbling  down  on  you. 


With  multiple  mission  branching  and  levels 
that  are  better  designed  than  even 
SCOURGE  OF  ARMAGON's,  SiN  should  be  a 
blast  when  it  hits  sometime  this  summer. 

Q3  '98 

slave  Zero  (Action)  Wanting  to  merge 
the  worlds  of  MECHWARRIOR  and  QUAKE, 
Sean  Vesce,  the  designer  of  MECH  2 and 
INTERSTATE  '76,  has  come  up  with  SLAVE 
ZERO,  a game  inspired  by  Japanese  anime 
hits  like  Evangelion.The  robot  action  is 
more  fierce  and  intense  than  MECH  2's,  tak- 
ing place  in  crowded  Blade  ffunner-like 
cities.  Q1  '99 

Wheel  of  Time  (Action/Strategy) 

GT  Interactive's  WHEEL  OF  TIME  makes  even 
better  use  of  the  UNREAL  engine  than  does 
UNREAL  itself.  The  idea  is  to  break  into  other 
players'  castles  and  steal  artifacts.  However, 
when  you  are  gone,  other  players  can  break 
into  your  castle  and  steal  yourartifacts.  To 
protect  your  castle,  you  must  design  and 
build  traps  and  lay  down  monsters  to 
thwart  would-be  robbers.  So  while  half  of 
the  game  is  first-person,  fantasy  action  with 
spectacular  spells  and  weapons,  the  other 
half  of  the  game  is  level-building  with  a 


Birth  of  the  Federation  (Strategy) 

Star  Trek  Next  Generation  fans  can  stop  whin- 
ing: MicroProse's  BIRTH  OF  THE  FEDERATION  is 
so  good  it  could  make  even  Worf  suppress  a 
smile.  Everything  from  Wonders  of  the  Galaxy  (d 
la  CIV)  to  Ferengi  economics  and  Romulan  diffi- 
dence is  modeled,  in  a much  prettier,  and  more 
playable,  grand  strategy  game  than  MOO  il.  The 
turn-based  tactical  space  combat  even  supports 
3D.  Warp  Speed,  indeed!  Q4  '98 


/.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


...  and  Five 

Fizzlers 

Asteroids  (Action)  Don't  look  for  a BATTLEZONE-style 
take  on  the  arcade  classic  when  Activision's  ASTEROIDS 
ships.  The  rocks  are  3D,  but  the  gameplay  is  the  same 
old  top-down  spin-and-shoot.  Q4  '98 

Newman-Haas  Racing  (Sports)  pygnosis'  PC 
conversion  of  NEWMAN-HAAS  RACING  is  only  slightly 
more  robust  than  the  PlayStation  version  that  spawned 
it.  You'd  expect  strategic  depth  and  accuracy  in  the 
physics  model  for  a racing  game  based  on  the  CART 
team  owned  by  driver/actor  Paul  Newman.  At  least,  the 
detailed  cockpit  and  adjustable  mirrors  are  an  advance- 
ment over  the  pure  arcade  play  of  the  earlier  game.  Too 
bad  little  else  is.  Q3  '98 

Star  Con  (Action)  star  control,  a game  that  was 
once  full  of  humor  and  personality,  has  been  turned  into  a 
3D  space  shooter.  Sure,  old  STAR  CONTROLS  had  the  action- 
intensive melee,  but  they  were  part  of  a larger  whole:  an 
epic  adventure  game  with  quirky  aliens  and  reams  of  hilar- 
ious dialogue.  Accolade  promises  that  the  same  humor  and 
alien  interaction  will  be  there,  but  we  won't  believe  that 
until  we  see  it.  Q4  '98 

Top  Gun:  Hornet's  Nest  (Sim)  MicroProse's 
action  flight  sim  takes  simplicity  too  far— it  makes  the 
last  TOP  GUN  game  look  as  complex  as  SU-27  FLANKER. 
We're  all  for  introductory  sims  that  are  accessible  to  new 
gamers,  but  when  jets  don't  even  stall  when  they  run 
out  of  speed,  how  useful  an  intro  to  flying  is  it?  Q4  '98 

Ultima  Ascension  (RPG)  if  ultima  Vlll;  pagan  was 
considered  to  be  ULTIMA:  MARIO,  Origin/EA's  latest  incarna- 
tion is  destined  to  be  ULTIMA:  TOMB  RAIDER.  The  cinematics 
are  incredible  and  the  animation  is  outstanding,  but  the 
familiar  "behind  the  back"  character  perspective  drags  the 
frame  rate  down  like  cement  shoes  in  the  East  River.  Plus, 
Lord  British  must  assume  that  most  of  the  longtime 
ULTIMA  fans  have  given  up  on  the  series.  There  isn't  much 
of  the  Britannian  tradition  left  in  the  current  stew.  Q4  '98 


simple,  but  powerful  editor  that  gives  every 
player  the  chance  to  design  the  most  devious 
and  impenetrable  of  keeps.  Q1  '99 

X'Files  (Adventure) 

Fox's  upcoming  X-Files  game  casts  you  as  a 
rookie  agent  assigned  by  Assistant  Director 
Skinner  to  locate  Mulder  and  Scully  following 
their  mysterious  disappearance  in  Seattle. 
Gameplay  is  reminiscent  of  Activision's  SPY- 
CRAFT,  with  lots  of  "online”  sleuthing  and 
researching.  The  video  sequences  are 
extremely  well  done,  giving  it  the  look,  feel, 
and  quality  of  a real  X-Files  episode.  Q2  '98 


PREY  seems  to  have  it 
all:  a cool  character,  a 
great  story,  and  an  amazing 
3D  engine  capable  of  creat- 
ing mind-bending  environ- 
ments. You'll  play  Apache 
Indian,  Talon  Brave,  as  he 
battles  his  way  through  an 
immense  spaceship  against 
three  alien  races.  3D 
Realms  is  including  the  edi- 
tor, so  you  can  build  your 
own  levels.  Q1  '99 


Railroad  Tycoon  II  (Strategy) 


Known  as  the  savior  of  HEROES  OF  MIGHT  & MAGIC,  Phil  Steinmeyer,  of  Pop 
Top  Software,  along  with 
Gathering  of  Developers  (GoD), 
have  acquired  the  rights  to  Sid's 
masterpiece,  turning  it  into  a 
strategy  train-fest  nonpareil — 
complete  with  gorgeous  3D  rail- 
road cars  and  great  graphics. 

Different  levels  of  play  allow 
you  to  ignore  stock  trading  and 
modify  your  robber  baron  Al 
opponents.  Q3  '98 


Vi 

A. 

3RlAfARE 

Came/Publisher 

First  Supposedly  CCMns 

Shown  Ships  Guess 

Description 

Guardians:  Agents  of  Justice/MIcroProse 

■95 

Q3  '98 

Q4  '98 

Steve  Barcia  tries  to  escape  the  Comics  Gaming  Curse  and  the  patched 
shadows  of  MOM  and  MOO  II. 

Return  to  Krondor/Slerra 

‘95 

Q3  '98 

Q4  ‘98 

The  saga  behind  Raymond  E.  Feist's  long-delayed  RPG  is  almost  more 
intriguing  than  one  of  the  fantasy  author's  own  tales. 

European  Air  War/MicroProse 

'95 

Q4  '94 

Q4  '98 

The  third  time's  the  charm  for  this  VW  ll  sim  that's  shown  up  at  each 

E3  sporting  a new  engine. 

Falcon  4.0/MkroProse 

'94 

Q3  ‘98 

Never 

This  long-awaited  flight-sim  really  does  look  a lot  closer  to  release 
than  it  did  when  we  first  saw  it  in  1994...honest! 

Aliens  vs.  Predator/Fox  Interactive 

'94 

Q4  ‘98 

Never 

This  game's  ship  date  has  been  as  invisible  as  a cloaked  Predator. 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  199B  ""ww  comptilefgaming.tom 


WAR  OF  THE  GODS 


• ■'  • ■ Battle  as  a mythological  god  in  this  unique  real-time  combat  strategy  game. 

> • Use  divine  powers  to  directly  aid  your  troops  and  turn  the  ride  oF  war. 

A whole  new  level  oF intense  action-expect  the  unexpected! 

Multiplayer  support:  2 players  via  modem  and  up  to  8 players  via  network  or  Internet. 


divine  powers  at  your  fingertips 


Lightning  Bolts,  Fireballs,  Earthquake,  Berserker  Rage,  Arachne’s  Web, 
Infestation  of  Insects,  Arrow  Storms,  Sun  Bolts,  Death  Spores,  Ring  of 
Swords,  Volcanic  Fissures,  Wall  of  Spikes,  Divine  Sight,  Invulnerability 
, ...and  when  you  crave  total  devastation,  unleash 

A Divine  Fury!  V Ik  I 


* 

■HUb  ^ 

SOUNDSOURCE 


Windows  95  CD-IIOM 

Coming  In  October 

Sneak  pejik  www.tvnrollliegods.com 


Developed  by  Dexterity  Software 


Go  to  #256  @ wvm.computergamtng.com/infolink 


Works  better.  Plays  better. 


DIGIT 


Microsoft®  Windows®  98 
which  stands  for  Universal 
name— all  this  USB  thing  i 
to  your  computer.  How  eJ 


00ti 


00m 


00^ 


0Vfk 


0^4 


ei99S  Microsofi  Coroorstion.  All  rights  reserved.  Uiciosoft.  Whore  do  you  want  to  go  today?,  Windows  and  the  Windows 
logo  arc  either  regisloiod  Iradeniaiks  or  trademarks  of  Microsolt  Corporation  in  the  United  States  and/or  other  countries. 


peakers, 
0 

the  stuff  just 
works.  Like  any  good  appliance. 


fire  up  the  new  USB  technology, 
Bus.  Now— forget  about  the 
make  it  easy  to  connect  things 


ITS  THE 

VERSIO 


Where  do  you  want  to  go  today?"  mm- 

microsott 

www.microsoft.coniy|^i||||Q|y598/ 


The  biggest  sur- 
prise at  E3  didn't 
come  from  the 
show  floor,  but 
from  LucasArts' 
secret  meeting 
suite.  The  most 
popular  Nazi- 
busting  hero  of  the  big  screen 
{and  the  original  tomb  raider), 
Indiana  Jones,  is  returning  for  his 
fourth  LucasArts  adventure,  and 
this  time,  he's  coming  back  in  full, 
gorgeous  3D.  INDIANA  JONES  AND 
THE  INFERNAL  MACHINE  will  be  the 
fourth  Indiana  Jones  title,  but  will 
be  a huge  leap  above  traditional 
LucasArts  adventures.  It  will  be 
a 3D  action-adventure,  in  the 
same  vein  as,  but  technologically 


beyond,  TOMB  RAIDER.  You'll  play 
Indy  and  guide  him  through  vari- 
ous tombs  and  caverns. 

In  1 947,  as  the  Cold  War  is  just 
beginning,  the  Soviet  Union  sets 
out  to  find  an  ancient  machine  in 
the  fabled  Tower  of  Babel.  If  the 
Soviets  were  to  get  their  hands  on 
this  machine,  they  could  open  a 
gateway  to  another  dimension, 
called  Aetherium,  which  is  filled 
with  teeming,  destructive  energy. 
As  Indiana  Jones,  you  have  to  stop 
the  Soviets.  When  you  are  first 
summoned  by  your  CIA  friend, 
Sophia  Hapgood,  you  are  told  that 
a Soviet  scientist  named  Gennadi 
Volodnikov  has  discovered  how  to 
assemble  the  "infernal  machine." 
The  parts  for  this  machine,  though. 


are  scattered  throughout  the 
globe,  including  ancient  Bablyon, 
the  Han  Shan  mountains, 
Kazakhstan.  andTeotihuacan. 

Indy's  job  is  to  retrieve  the  pieces 
from  these,  and  other,  locations 
before  the  Soviets  do. 

The  locations  will  be  designed 
with  plenty  of  traps  and  challeng- 
ing puzzles.  And  what  Indy  adven- 
ture would  be  complete  without 
opponents  to  fight?  There  will  be 
combat,  although  at  this  point  we 
don't  know  the  exact  enemies 
that  Indy  will  face.  He  will  have  an 
expansive  repertoire  of  moves, 
including  swimming,  jumping, 
running,  swinging,  and  climbing. 
The  weapons  at  his  disposal  in  the 
dangerous  tombs,  mines,  and  dun- 


geons will  include  his  trusty  whip, 
pistols,  rifles,  a bazooka,  hand 
grenades,  and  satchel  charges.  The 
pieces  of  the  Infernal  Machine, 
and  several  other  unique  items, 
will  also  provide  special  powers. 

Several  action  sequences  that 
cry  classic  Indiana  Jones  will  also 
appear  in  the  game,  such  as 
Whitewater  rafting,  an  off-road 
Jeep  chase,  and  a rollercoaster 
mine  car  ride. 

With  all  this  gameplay  and  a 
wild  Indiana  Jones  storyline  to 
nurture,  Hal  Barwood  (creator  of 
previous  INDY  adventure  games) 
and  his  team  at  LucasArts  are  tak- 
ing their  time  with  this  game.  The 
release  date  should  be  March  or 
April  '99. — Elliott  Chin 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


www.compulergamingxom 


Where  do  you  want  to  go  today?' 

www.mlcrosoft.com/windows98 

01998  Microsoll  Corporsljon,  All  ngnis  reserved.  Microsoft.  Wiroro  do  you  want  to  go  loaay?,  WirrOows  aod  the  Wurdows  logo  arc  citttcr  registered  trademarks  or  trademarks 
of  Microsoft  Cofporaiion  in  the  United  Slates  and/or  other  countries.  Oihcr  product  and  company  names  mentioned  herein  may  be  Ihe  trademarks  of  their  respective  owners. 


Get  the  great  games  and 
products  these  partners 
make,  and  you'll  discover  why 
Windows  98  is  the  platform 
for  hardcore  gaming. 


Be  care 
forces  a 
to  cajole 
if  necess 


TOH 


<4 

Kl'MJSton'  Logitech 


Crecite  the  ultimate  gaming 
machine  with  Windows  98  and 
plenty  of  Kingstoif  memory. 
Play  to  win.  Play  to  rule, 


Experience  your  games  with 
Logitech  WingMan'  Force’"' USB 
Joystick.  From  subtle  effects  to 
huge  explosions,  WingMan  Force 
delivers  incredible  realism. 


GolIII 

A hot  new  title  for  Windows  98. 
Other  games  ready  to  roll  are 
Baseball  3D,  Outwars'“  and 
Monster  Truck  Madness'  2. 


KLliCTRONlC  ARTS' 


The  ADA70  Digital  PowerCube 
speakers  feature  streaming  True 
Digital  Audio  for  crisp,  clean  and 
clear  multimedia  excitement. 


/R 


ATI  XPERT@Play  98  3D  accelerator 
offers  the  ultimate  gaming 
experience  for  Windows  98  with 
incredible  3D  graphics,  TV-out 
and  8 MB  of  memory. 


More  speed,  realism  and  power! 
Choose  Monster  3D  II.  Stealth  II 
or  Monster  Sound  accelerator  & 
audio  cards  from  Diamond,  the 
leader  in  Windows  acceleration. 


The  world’s  largest  interactive 
entertainment  software  company 
with  hit  franchises  such  as 
EA  SPORTS, Need  for  Speed'” 
and  SimCity.’” 


is  making  it  easy  for  them. 


With  USB  compatibility, 
programmable  buttons  and 
digital-optical  technology. 
Microsoft  Sidewinder  Precision 
Pro  joystick  unleashes  speed 
and  accuracy  for  every  game. 


Experience  gaining  on  the 
Internet  like  never  before  with 
our  56K*  Faxmodem!  Compatible 
with  V.90  standard  and  x2™ 
technology.  World's  #1  selling 
modem. 


www.microsoft.com/wlndows98 iff 


? NEWS  FLASH 


WarCraft 

Adventures  Is  Dead 

WARCRAFT 

adventures:  lord 

OF  THE  CLANS  iS  offi- 
cially dead!  The  adventure 
game,  which  was  being  devel- 
oped by  a Russian  art-house 
owned  by  Blizzard's  sister 
company,  Davidson,  was  slat- 
ed for  a summer  1 998  release. 
After  much  internal  discussion, 
Blizzard  decided  to  stop  devel- 
opment of  the  project. 

Following  an  intensive 
review  of  the  game,  the  com- 
pany determined  that  given  the 
game's  current  status  and  the 
rapidly  changing  technology  of  the 
industry,  it  would  not  be  possible 
to  complete  development  of  the 
game  within  a reasonable  time 
frame.  Blizzard  stated  that  it  was 
an  extremely  difficult  decision,  but 
said,  "we  firmly  believe  that  we 
cannot  release  a title  that  does 
not  meet  the  exceptionally  high 
standards  that  both  we  and  our 
customers  expect  from  the 
Blizzard  label." 

AMD  Launches  Ke-2 

Formerly  known  as  the  K6 
3D,  the  new  K6-2  from  AMD 
is  a SIMD  (single  instruction, 
multiple  data)  chip  (in  266MHz, 
300MHz,  and  333MHz  speeds) 
that  will  go  by  the  30Now  brand 
name,  if  this  sounds  too  confusing, 
just  remember  Uiis:  The  K6-2  uses 
these  new,  32-bit  wide  instructions 
to  speed  up  the  types  of  mathe- 
matical transforms  needed  to 
accelerate  3D  geometty-which 
translates  into  faster  games. 

AMD  expected  about  20  games 
to  be  K6-2-ready  for  the  product 


ship  with  the  new  K6-2  instruction 
set.  While  we'll  likely  see  systems 
using  the  new  instructions  by  this 
summer,  games  using  DirectX6 
won't  ship  for  a few  more  months. 
The  K6-2  has  the  same  x87  float- 
ing-point unit  as  the  original  K6, 
so  non-3DNow  floating-point  per- 
formance will  still  lag  Intel's 
Pentium  li. 

The  second — and  more  signifi- 
cant— problem  is  software  sup- 
port. For  K6  acceleration,  games 
will  need  to  use  the  DirectXS  light- 
ing and  transform  engine,  OpenGL, 
or  Glide  APIs.  Despite  the  number 
of  DirectX  games,  very  few  current 
Direct3D  games  use  Microsoft's 
geometry  engine — though  this 
may  change  with  the  streamlined 
Oirectxe.  It's  also  possible  that 
game  programmers  will  wait  until 
Intel's  own  Katmai  processor  ships 
next  year. 

USB,  USB, 

Everywhere  USB 

For  over  two  years,  USB  has 
held  the  promise  of  plug- 
and-play  game  controllers 
that  are  fully  digital.  Finally,  at  E3 


this  year.  Logitech's  upcoming 
force  feedback  joystick  will  be  a 
USB  device.  Logitech  is  confident 
that  USB  has  the  bandwidth  to 
handle  the  two-way  data  commu- 
nications task  between  the  game 
and  the  controller. 

Meanwhile,  industry  veteran  CH 
Products  will  be  shipping  a num- 
ber of  USB  devices,  including  a 
USB  version  of  the  Gamestick  14,  a 
wireless  Gamestick  14,  and  a USB 
hub.  The  wireless  stick  uses  radio 
frequencies  to  communicate  with 
the  computer.  The  radio  receiver 
plugs  into  a low-speed  USB  port. 
Recognizing  the  connection  limita- 
tions (most  USB-equipped  PCs  only 
have  two  USB  ports),  CH  is  also 
developing  a USB  hub. 

Microsoft  has  announced  that 
its  freestyle  gamepad  will  also  be 
available  in  a USB  version.  The  com- 
pany was  also  showing  USB  speak- 
ers at  its  booth — no  sound  card 
required.  The  digital  audio  stream 
from  the  PC  is  shipped  directly 
down  the  USB  bus  to  the  speakers. 

All  this  is  good  news  for  gamers. 
Fully  digital  devices  don't  require 
calibration,  the  CPU  load  will  be 


announcement  in  late  June.  Initial 
CPUs  will  clock  at  300MHz  and 
will  support  the  lOOMHz  system 
bus  in  the  "Super-7"  motherboard 
architecture. 

Cyrix  has  indicated  a strong 
interest  in  AMD's  technology,  and 
it's  likely  that  IDT's  C6+  CPU  will 


we  began  to  see  some  promising 
developments  on  that  front. 

ThrustMaster  has  long  been 
shipping  a USB  version  of  the  Top 
Gun,  but  the  company  will  be  soon 
add  a USB  version  of  the  Rage  3D 
gamepad  and  a USB  steering 
wheel  to  their  product  line,  later 


much  lower,  and  multiple  con- 
trollers can  remain  attached,  either 
by  daisy  chaining  or  through  a hub. 
The  one  caveat  is  that  for  best  sup- 
port you'll  need  Windows  98  and 
DirectX  6.  Both  should  be  available 
by  the  fall,  when  most  of  these  con- 
trollers will  be  out. 


\P  t P E L 1 lU  E\ 

Age  of  Empires  II  Microsoft 

Q1  '99 

Alien  vs.  Predator  Fox 

Q4  '98 

Asheron's  Call  Turbine/Miaosolt 

Q4  '98 

Battle  of  Britain  1940  TalonSoft 

Q4'98 

Birth  of  the  Federation  MicroProse 

Q4  '98 

Blackstone  Chronicles  tegend/SSI 

04  '98 

Caesar  3 Sierra 

Q3'98 

Combat  Flight  Simulator  Microsoft 

Q4  '98 

Creatures  II  Mfndscape 

Q4  '98 

Daikatana  Ion  Stomi/Eidos 

Q3  '98 

Dark  Vengeance  GT  Interactive 

Q4'98 

Descent  111  Interplay 

Q4  '98 

Diablo  II  Blizzard 

02  '99 

Drakan  Psygnosis 

Q1  '99 

Duke  Forever  Apogee/3D  Realms 

Q4  '98 

European  Air  War  MicroProse 

04 '98 

F-22  Total  Air  War  DID 

03  '98 

Falcon  4.0  MicroProse 

04 '98 

Fallout  2 Interplay 

04  '98 

Fighter  Duel  2 Ocean 

02  '99 

Fighter  Legends  Jane's/EA 

Q3'98 

Fighting  Steel  SSI 

03 '98 

Final  Countdown  Impact 

Q1  '99 

Flanker  2.0  SSI 

04 '98 

Freedom  in  the  Galaxy  Avalon  Hill 

Q1  '99 

Gabriel  Knight  3 Sierra 

Q4  '98 

Game  of  Life  Hasbro 

04  '98 

Grim  Fandango  LucasArts 

Q4'98 

Guadalcanal  Avalon  Hill 

03  '98 

Gubble  2Actual  Entertainment 

03  '98 

Harpoon  4 SSI 

02  '99 

Heretic  II  Rav«VActivlsjon 

04  '98 

Homeworld  Sierra 

04 '98 

King's  Quest:  Mask  of  Eternity  Sierra 

Q4'98 

Klingon  Honor  Guard  MicroProse 

04 '98 

Knockout  Kings  EA  Sports 

01  '99 

Jagged  Alliance  2 Sir-Tech 

Q4  '98 

LAPD  2100  AD  EA 

01  '99 

Luftwaffe  SSI 

04  '98 

Madden  99  EA  Sports 

03  '99 

MechWarrior  III  MicroProse 

01  ‘99 

Messiah  Shiny/lniegslay 

04 '98 

NASCAR  Racing  3 Sierra  Sports 

04 '98 

National  Hockey  Night  ESPN  Digital 

Q4'98 

Omikron  Eidos 

Q1  '99 

Prince  of  Persia  3D  Red  Orb 

Q1  '99 

Quest  for  Glory  V Sierra 

04  '98 

Reach  for  the  Stars  11  MIcrosoft/SSG 

Q2'99 

Return  Fire  2 MGM 

03  '98 

Return  to  Krondor  Sierra 

04 '98 

Revenant  Eidos 

Qt  '99 

Revolution  FenrisWo!l/GT  Interactive 

03  '98 

Screamer  3 Virgin 

03 '98 

Screamin'  Demons  Activision 

Q4  '98 

Secret  of  Vulcan  Fury  Interplay 

02  '99 

Sid  Meier's  Alpha  Centaur!  Firaxis/EA 

03  '98 

Smart  Games  Challenge  3 SQHasbto 

04  '98 

Space  Bunnies  Must  Die!  Ripcord 

03  '98 

Squad  Leader  BigTinrelAvalon  Hill 

01  '99 

StarCon  Accolade 

Q4  '98 

Starship  Troopers  MicroProse 

Q4  '98 

Sword  & Sorcery  Virgin 

04  '99 

Tiger  Woods  '99  EA  Sports 

03 '99 

Tomorrow  Never  Dies  MGM 

04 ‘98 

Ultima  Ascension  Orlgin/EA 

04  '98 

Warhammer  40K:  Chaos  Gate  SSI 

03  '98 

WarTorn  Impact  Interacive 

03 '98 

Wings  of  Destiny  Psygnosis 

QI  '99 

Wizardry  VIII  Sir-Tech 

Q3  '98 

You  Don't  Know  Jack  4 Berkeley 

04 '98 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  199B 


^.computergiiming.< 


H)  >=-  )=(  >1  CS  8 


It’S  either  a kick-ass  epic  adventure 
or  your  classic  love  story, 
depending  on  your  aim. 


(T)ai:)Y  coooe  here  to  seek  scili)atiof) 


Others,  to  seek  the  fellowship 
of  the  c Of) q req  Qtior) . 


Voti,  YOiJc're  jtist  CQsir)q  the  joipt. 


\ 

. . 

^ ' 'f.  .1, 


W')eQk  of!  to  (jL)(JL)(JL).eidosit)teroclii)e.coa) 


LOOKING  GLASS 


Thiet;  The  Dark  Proiecl  and  the  Looking  Glass  logo  are  trademarks  of  Looking  Glass  Sludios.  ©1997-1998  Looking  Glass  Studios.  Eidos  Inleractive  is  a iradeinatk  ot  Eidos  pic.  © 1998  Eidos.  All  fiiglils  Reserved. 


Go  to  #116  @ www.computergaining.com/infolink 


WWW.EIDOSINTERACTIVE.COM 


Play  D0MINI0N„with  up  to  eight  others  orlire  at 
www.eid0s9ames.com  with  MPlayer  technology. 


trp’iyiBj 


TOMB  RAIDER.  TOMB  RAIDER  II,  TOMB  RAIDER  COLD  and 
LARA  CROFT  ate  Irademadis  ol  Cote  Design.  O 1996  • 1998  Core. 
FIDOS  INTERACTIVE  tea  itadematk  ol  Ekios.  Pic.  O 1938  Ekios. 


w 


www.tombrajcler.com 


There  are  novN 
three  Tomb  Raider 
products  to  choose 
from  in  the  ever 
grooving  list  of  Lara 
Croft's  adventures. 


Go  to  #111  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


What  are  you 
v\aiting  for? 

See  all  that 

: Lara  has  to  offer. 

^ ..  Complete  your 

collection  today. 


Only  EIDOS  briNgs  yOu  tUE  most 

iNNOvatiVE  ONd  cKayLENgiNq  gaMES 


( THl^r 


.1  N T E R A%C  T I V E 

4 ■ 

’•  . ' '!'■  -V. r : 'v- . 


r ^ 

- 


'■'^'  ••  I 

r.-^  -V 


lip  M kl  k 


www.eidoj^nteractive.com 


Final  Fonlaay  VII 0 1998  Square  Co..  Lid.  All  tighls  tesotvod,  Fmol  Funl.itiy  .iml  Si|tiiituSoM  aio  toinsli-tiid  luuloinatka  ot  Squnio  Co.,  Lld.'ION  STORM.  DAIKATANA.  HIRO  MIYAMOTO,  SUPERFLY  JOHNSON  and  MIKIKO 
ESIHARA  names  and  logos  aie  IradematKsol  Ion  Stonn.  L.P.  All  iighlii  rosuivud.  v!  11)98  Ion  Stoiin.  L.P.  Tliiol:  llio  Djik  Piojoul  nnd  tlia  locking  Glass  logo  oie  Imdemarks  of  Looking  Glass  Studios.  0 1998  Looking  Glass 
Studios.  Tamd  Raider  III  and  Lara  Cioll  are  Imdemaiks  ol  Cure  Duslqii.y;i  11)97-1998  Ctiru.  Elilos  InU'iiutllvn,  Rovoniini.  niul  Ornlkion  nio  Irademarks  Of  Eldos.  Pic.  0 1997-1998  Eidos. 

Go  to  #115  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


itual  F 
-feavy 
ame"^ 


■ he  1981  cult  classic  Weai/y/Wefa/ will 
come  roaring  back  to  life  next  year  with 
the  release  of  a movie  sequel  and  com- 
puter game,  both  entitled  Heavy  Metal: 
F.A.K.K.2.  Dallas-based  Ritual 
Entertainment  nailed  the  rights  to  develop  the  PC 
game,  which  is  scheduled  to  coincide  with  the 
movie  release  in  late  summer  '99.  The  company 
obtained  the  license  for  F.A.K.K.2  (Federation 
Assigned  Ketogenic  Kilizone)  from  Kevin  Eastman, 
who  created  the  original  movie  and  is  working  on 
the  sequel.  Ritual,  best  known  for  its  award- 
winning 1 997  game  QUAKE  MISSION  PACK  #1 : 

SCOURGE  OF  ARMAGON,  is  close  to  completion  of 
its  second  game,  the  3D  action  shooter  SIN. 

The  F.A.K.K.2  film  will  be  one  long  story,  as 
opposed  to  the  1 1 animated  sequences  in  Heavy 
Metal.  British  artist  Simon  Bisley  will  once  again 
create  the  outlandish  character  art.  Ritual's  agree- 
ment provides  for  full  use  of  all  of  the  film's  artwork  as 
well  as  the  movie's  soundtrack.  The  storyline  behind 
Ritual's  game  picks  up  about  two  and  one-half  years 
after  the  movie  sequel  leaves  off. 

The  new  game  was  supposed  to  be  based  on  a next- 
generation,  3D  "Uber  Engine"  capable  of  ''pxtrernely. . 
detailed  indoor. and  butdopr  surfeceTendefingSiand  set- 
tings," according  to  Rittial.  However,:witH  the  loss  pf;two' 
key  programmers,  Ritual  has  opted  to' license  an  existing 
3D  engine,  most  likely  that  of  QUAKE  II  or  UNREAL. 

Ritual  Co-founder  Robert  Atkins  says  Eastman  has 
given  Ritual  "carte  blanche  to  add  our  own  slant  to  the 
already  twisted  Heavy  Metal  universe.  We  really  have 
been  given  a special  opportunity  to  create  something 
unique  and  entertaining." 

Heavy  Metal,  released  in  1981,  featured  animated 
stones  with  a dri- 
ving rock  sound- 
track from  Black 

9 Sabbath,  Blue 

Oyster  Cult,  Cheap 

Sammy  Hagar.The 
movie  earned  more 
than  $20  million  at 
the  box  office  and 
•iV  sold  over  a million 

*0  • copies  on  video. 

■ — Ken  Brown 


CCW  Survey. 


Last  Month  Months  on  Chart 

1.  Age  of  Empires  (Microsoft)  2 3 

2.  Quake  II  (id  Software/Activision)  1 3 

3.  Diablo  (Blizzard/CUC)  7 15 

4.  Fallout  (Interplay)  8 4 

5.  Rebellion  (LucasArts)  - 1 

6.  Heroes  II:  POL  (New  World  Computing)  - 7 

7.  Jedi  Knight  (LucasArts)  3 5 

8.  Quake  (id  Software)  - 17 

9.  Panzer  General  2 (SSI)  9 4 

9.  Hellfire  (Sierra/Cendant)  - 2 

9.  Battlezone  (Activision)  - 1 

9.  Red  Alert  (Westwood)  - 14 

9.  Civ  II:  Fantastic  Worlds  (MicroProse)  - 1 

' Check  your  mailbox:  We  mail  a survey  to  1,500  randomly  chosen  subscribers  each  month.  The 
results  of  Playing  Lately  indicate  what  games  readers  are  blowing  the  most  time  on,  as  opposed  to 
the  readers' overall  “quality  ranking"  in  the  Top  100. 


Last  Month 

1.  StarCraft  (Blizzard/Cendant  Software)  3 

2.  Deer  Hunter  (GT  Interactive)  1 

3.  Titanic:  Adventure  out  of  Time  CyberflIx  2 

4.  Cabela's  Big  Game  Hunter  (Head  Games)  7 

5.  Myst  (RedOrb)  4 

6.  Rebeilion  (LucasArts)  5 

7.  Tomb  Raider  Gold  (Eidos) 

8.  NASCAR  II  (Sieira/Cendant ) 

9.  Quake  II  (id/Activision)  8 

10.  Flight  Simulator  98  (Microsoft)  6 

**  This  list  indicates  what  the  top-selling  PC  games  were,  as 
calculated  by  PC  Data,  for  April,  1998. 


I 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


v.computergamlng.c 


I>REAJMfWfc«KKS 

EsrrERAcrrrvE 


"THK  MOST  ADVANCED  TECHNOLOGY  WE’VE  EVER  SEEN  IN  A PC  GAMING  TITLE!"  . COMPL/TER  GAMISG  WORLD 


isR 

" T 


JJ4YE 


YOU  ARE  ALONE,  WASHED  ASHORE  ON  INGEN'S  REMOTE  RESEARCH  ISLAND, 
SITE  B,  IN  THE  AFTERMATH  OF  THE  LOST  WORLD  EXPEDITION.  BEFORE 
YOU  LIES  A DENSE,  TROPICAL  JUNGLE  FILLED  WITH  PREHISTORIC 
CARNIVORES  THAT  ARE  VERY  MUCH  ALIVE.  YOUR  ONLY  CHANCE  OF 
SURVIVAL  IS  TO  USE  YOUR  WITS  TO  BATTLE  THE  RELENTLESS  WILD- 
LIFE WITH  ANYTHING  YOU  CAN  GET  YOUR  HANDS  ON. 


THE  EVOLUTION  OF  1ST  PERSON  3-D  GAMING 


W W W.  y K E -S  I'  A S S K K . C C)  .\l 


AS  usual,  E3  had  its  high  points  and  its  low  points. 

Forcing  yourself  to  crawl  out  of  bed  for  a 7 a.m. 
breakfast  meeting  after  a night  of  drinking,  dancing, 
and  general  debauchery,  for  example,  was  one  of  the 
less  popular  activities.  But  it  was  a necessity  if  one 
wanted  to  make  the  most  of  the  short  amount  of  time  we  had  at 
the  show.  This  year,  we  kept  our  eyes  peeled  during  ail  the  events 
at  that  enormous  extravaganza  of  entertainment.  We've  told  you 
about  the  best  and  worst  games  of  the  show.  Now,  here's  CGWs 
take  on  the  best  and  worse  of  everything.  — Charlotte  Panther 


Best  Booth  Babe(s): 
The  VIGILANCE  Girls 
After  Eidos'  set  the 
precedence  last  year  by 
having  a real  live  Lara 
Croft-alike  strolling 
around  its  booth,  this 
year,  you  were  nobody 
unless  you  had  a booth 
babe  or  two.  Alison 
Huxter,  the  star  of 
SPACE  BUNNIES  MUST 
DIE  was  shaking  it 
down  at  the  Ripcord 
booth;  Acclaim  had  the 
FORSAKEN  girl  on  show; 
and  Lara  was  back 
again,  putting  the 
moves  on  a new  bunch 
of  goo-goo-eyed  geeks. 
Our  vote,  though,  goes 
to  SegaSoft  and  the 
VIGILANCE  Girls. 
Sporting  tight  blue  and 
black  vinyl  outfights, 
these  models  really  did 
look  like  Vigilance 
stars  Nikki,  Amy,  and 
company. 


Best  Game  Name;  Wargasm 

Digital  Image  Design's  new  bat- 
tlefield strategy/simulation 
game  sports  a name  that 
promises  the  peak  of  fun.  Even 
better,  though,  is  the  moniker 
for  the  multiplayer  mode: 
Multiple  Wargasm.  We're  not 
making  this  up. 

Best  Use  of  a Celebrity  to 
Promote  a Game:  Gillian 
Anderson  Although  the  celebs  at 
this  year's  show  includ- 
ed former  NFL 
MVP  Brett  ■ ^ 

Favre,  New  ^ 

York  mayor  ... 

Ed  Koch, 

Sugar  Ray 
Leonard,  Oscar 
De  La  Hoya,  and 
best-selling  novelist 
Douglas  Adams,  none 
drew  a larger  crowd  than 
the  X-Fi!e^  babealicious 
Gillian  Anderson. 

Best  Booth  Beefcake: 

Duke  Nukem  This  guy  looked  so 
much  like  the  computer 
game  character  it  was 
scary. 

Most  Obvious  Rip- 
off;  TARTAN  ARMY 

MYTH  meets 
Braveheart.  Just  don't 
ask  them  what  they've 
got  on  under  their 
kilts. 


Most  Disturbing  Game;  THRILL 
KILL  Want  to  see  a guy  ripping  his 
opponent's  arms  out  and  beating 
him  to  death  with  them?  How 
about  watching  a three  foot,  stilt- 
wearing  devil  crush  his  opponent 
with  the  ends  of  his  stilts  or  a can- 
nibal who  enjoys  chewing  on  his 
victims  body  parts.  And  you  don't 
even  want  to  know  what  the  Dom- 
inatrix  does  with  her  whip. . .or 
may  be  you  do. . .you  sick  puppy. 

Worst  Timing  for  a Press 
Event;  Ripcord  Journalists  were 
invited  to  a small,  intimate  press 
event  held  by  Ripcord  to  promote 
their  upcoming  game,  SPACE 
BUNNIES  MUST  DIE.  Unfortunately,  it 
clashed  with  another  little  bash — 
the  Sony  party,  where  Foo  Rghters 
topped  the  bill. 

Most  Inhumane  Chachka: 
Rabbit's  Foot  Key  Chain 

Ripcord  gave  away 
what  it  thought 
were  fake  rab- 
bits' feet  key 
chains  to 
promote  its 
upcoming 
game,  SPACE 
BUNNIES  MUST 
DIE.  It  turned  out — 
much  to  Ripcord's  dismay — that 
the  faux  feet  were  actually  real, 
and  earth  bunnies  did,  in  fact,  die 
for  these  tasteless  talons. 

Bargain  of  the 
Show: 

Sega 


Rumor  has  i 

it  that  after  Y 

Sony  paid  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of 
dollars  for  Foo  Fighters  to  play 
at  their  party,  the  band  then  went 
on  to  the  Sega  party,  where  they 
played  to  an  intimate  crowd  of 
about  1 50  people  for  free. 


Best  Chachka:  Tomb  Raider 
Watch  There  were  all  sorts 
of  weird  and  wonderful 
things  being  given  away  at 
the  show  but  our  favorite 
was  the  Lara  Croft  watch, 
given  to  those  who  attended 
the  Eidos  party. 

Best  Party:  Eidos 

Nintendo  had  the  B-52s,  Sony  had 
Foo  Fighters  but  among  our  hip 
young  staff,  Eidos  won,  with  the 
semi-charmed  Third  Eye  Blind 
opening  for  San  Francisco's  '70s 
tribute  band  Grooveline. 

Worst  Party:  Imagine 

Why?  We  weren't  invited! 

Worst  Chachka:  The  CGW 
Shiny,  Wavy  Thing  Nick-named 
the  Shiny  Butt  Probe,  nobody  real- 
ly knew  what  they  were  supposed 
to  do  with  this  useless  chachka, 
but  Stephan  Jenkins,  the  lead 
singer  of  Third  Eye  Blind,  was 
said  to  be  waving  his 
about  wildly  at  the 
Eidos  party. 


A 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


w.compulergaming.com 


(Because  we’re  not  always  going  to  be  there  to  hold  your  trembling,  sweaty  little  hand.) 


Be  warned:  this  is  technology  with 
a real  “punch-you-in-the* 
gut-while-you’re-not-looking” 
brand  of  sensitivity. 


There’s  never  been  anything  like  Intensor,  So 
in  order  to  survive  it,  you  need  to  understand 
a few  things.  Like  to  begin  with,  you  need  to 
know  what  a Sensory  Gaming  Experience  is, 
It’s  complete  immersion.  It's  intense  tactile 


feedback.  It’s  being  able  to  see,  hear  and  feel 
the  game  you’re  playing  like  never  before.  All 
you  have  to  do  is  hook  it  up  to  the  audio  jack 
of  any  system,  play  any  game  and  hold  on. 
You  may  also  want  to  say  a little  prayer. 


Fig.  1.  A breakdown  of  what  you're  up  against. 


it 

ITEM  ^ 

] 

Lcfi2"  Mid-range  Dircciional 

2 

Right  2"  Mid-range  Dircciional 

3 

3.25"  Center  Mid-range 

4 

5.25"  Low  Frequency  Taciile  Driver 

5 

High-range  Twccler 

6 

Sound  Volume 

7 

Tactile  Inten.sity 

8 

niectronics  Unit 

9 

Heavy  Duly  Single  Cord  Connector 

10 

Optional  Oliice  Chair  Base 

tl 

Optional  Subwoofer 

12 

Headphone  Jack 

PART  TWO 


Remember,  in  this  chair 
no  one  can  hear  you  scream. 


Not  everyone  will  have  what  it  takes  to 
handle  Intensor's  patented  audio  system. 
After  all,  we’re  talking  5 high-performance 
built-in  speakers  with  108dB  output. 
Technically  speaking,  that  means  it's  really 


loud.  So  for  the  neighbors’  sake,  you  may 
want  to  use  the  headphone  jack — which  you 
can  do  without  losing  any  tactile  feedback. 
But  keep  in  mind  — if  your  ears  start  bleeding, 
you  should  probably  turn  the  thing  down. 


Fig.  2.  At  19 pounds.  Intensor  is  destj^ined 
for  quick  evacuation  in  the  event  things 
get  ugly.  (Shaky  hands  will  appreciate  the 
built-in  molded  carrying  handle.) 


PART  THREE 


Ducking,  dodging,  whimpering 
and  other  useful  gaming  skills 
you  might  want  to  perfect. 


Be  advised.  With  intensor,  you'll  not  only 
hear  your  games  like  never  before,  you’ll 
also  feel  them.  In  your  back.  In  your  legs. 
You’ll  feel  sensations  in  places  you  never 
even  knew  you  had.  Which  means  every 


engine  rev,  every  explosion,  every  kick  will 
seem  more  real  than  you  may  want  it  to.  So 
it’s  important  to  note  that  under  this  type  of 
extreme  duress,  screaming  in  high-pitched 
tones  for  one's  mommy  is  quite  commoa 


FȴWIWIIi^ 


Kidney  Punch  Crushed  By  Falling  Piano  Torn  Apart  By  Wild  Dogs  Inlansor 


Fig.  4.  Artist’s  conception  of  Sensory 
Gaming's  effect  on  the  human  heart. 
Those  with  heart  conditions  should 
proceed  at  their  own  risk. 


Fig.  5.  Note:  Players  attempting  to 
negotiate  Intensor  on  anything 
less  than  a good,  stiff  spine  may  be 
reduced  to  a vegetative  state. 


PART  FOUR 


Any  game.  Any  system. 

Any  medium.  After  this,  nothing 
will  ever  be  the  same. 


From  movies  and  CDs  to  all  your  favorite 
games,  Intensor  isn’t  just  compatible  with 
your  current  system,  it  actually  transforms 
it.  It  may  also  do  the  same  to  you.  Once 
you  take  a seat,  there's  a new  awareness. 


And  there’s  no  going  back.  It’s  the  gaming 
version  of  the  thousand-yard  stare.  You’ll 
recognize  it  in  others  who’ve  “been  there!’ 
Seek  them  out.Talk  to  them.This  therapeutic 
approach  can  help  preserve  your  sanity. 


Fig.  6.  fnrensor  has  been  known  to  induce  shock.  In 
such  cases,  place  victim  flat  on  back,  elevate  legs  S to  12 
inches  and  call  for  help.  (If  victim  begins  vomiting, 
place  him  or  her  on  one  side  to  allow  fluid  drainage.) 


In  the  event  ofnervoii.^ 
hreakdowii.  .seek  help  at 

www.intensor.com 

A.s.suitiing  you’ve  read 
this  carefully,  proceed  to  yoiir 
favorite  gaituiig  retailer. 


YOUR  BEST  SOURCE  FOR  THE  HOTTEST  GAMES  IN  DEVELOPMENT 


Thief:  The  Dark  Project 

Lurk  in  the  Shadows  in  Looking  Glass' 

Return  to  First-Person  Gaming 


by  Thierry  Nguyen 

The  classics  of  3D  action 
gaming  include  such 
luminaries  as  DOOM, 
WOLFENSTEIN  3D,  DUKE 
NUKEM  3D,  and  QUAKE. 
Almost  never  mentioned, 
but  arguably  as  influen- 
tial, are  some  of  the 
games  from  Looking  Glass.  These 
days  Looking  Glass  is  far  better 
known  for  the  gorgeous  FLIGHT 
UNLIMITED  series,  but  the  com- 
pany defined  the  first-person  RPG 
with  the  ULTIMA  UNDERWORLD 
series,  and  it  created  the  first  true 
3D  environments  with  the 
action/adventure  SYSTEM  SHOCK  in 
1994.  Now,  Looking  Glass  is  itch- 
ing to  return  to  the  first-person 
action  genre — and  return  in  style, 
For  its  next  game,  THIEF:  THE  DARK 
PROJECT,  "lurking"  will  be  the  key 
to  success. 

Strangers  in  the  Night 

THIEF:  THE  DARK  PROJECT  takes 
place  in  a universe  where  steam 
engines  reign,  yet  magic  still  lives. 
Hence,  this  world  isn't  the  usual 
"medieval  fantasy"  fare  that 
adventure  gamers  are  used  to. 


and  lurk  in  the  shadows. 


Looking  Glass  wanted  to  break 
away  from  that  traditional  mold, 
but  wanted  to  keep  elements  of 
fantasy  to  enliven  its  gameworld, 
The  game  casts  you  as  Garrett, 
a professional  thief,  and  pre- 
sents some  16  different 
"missions,"  most  of 
which  require 
you  to 
rob 


from  some  local  baron 
for  a shady  employer.  In  the 
first  few  missions,  you  burglarize 
various  mansions  and  keeps  until 
word  reaches  you  that  your  fence 
(the  man  who's  been  your  mission 
contact)  has  been  captured  by  a 
religious  order  of  lawmen.  You 
then  have  to  break  him  out  of  jail. 

At  this  point,  the  plot  thickens. 
The  shady  employer  who  has  been 
using  you  reveals  himself.  He  asks 
you  to  steal  a powerful  artifact 
from  the  selfsame  religious  order 
that  imprisoned  your  fence.  During 
the  course  of  this  conversation, 
it's  shown  that  your  employer, 
"Constantine,"  is  essentially  the 
Devil.  Once  you  retrieve  the 


object,  you  realize  that  you've 
done  the  Devil's  dirty  work  and 
have  helped  him  unleash  his 
unholy  minions  on  the  world.  Now 
it's  time  for  you  to  atone  for  that 
tiny  mistake. 

THIEF  features  a highly  stylized, 
post-industrial  Revolution  look, 
with  cut-scenes  that  enhance  the 
design.  Looking  Glass  has  opted 
to  use  two-dimensional,  hand- 
drawn  storyboard-style  stills,  com- 
plete with  voiceovers,  for  the  mis- 
sion "briefings."  While  it  sounds 
unspectacular  on  paper,  it  proves 
markedly  different  when  viewed 
onscreen.  We  watched  the  scene 


GENRE:  Action-Adventure 

RELEASE  DATE;  Q3  '98 

DEVELOPER:  Looking  Glass 
Technologies 

PUBLISHER;  Eidos 

in  which  Constantine  gives  you 
the  key  mission,  and  the  fades, 
shifting  images,  lighting,  and 
voice-acting  creates  a sequence  of 
cinematic  quality.  The  Looking 
Glass  artists  who  developed  these 
cut-scenes  have  drawn  inspiration 
from  such  stylized  and  innovative 
films  as  Brazil.  The  City  of  Lost 
Children,  and  Dark  City. 


MENAGE  A TROIS 


SPEAK  OF  THE  DEVIL 


GOTHIC  GOTHAM 


The  enemy  Al  will  often  call  out 
for  assistance  once  someone  has 
spotted  you. 


Late  in  the  game,  Constantine  reveals 
himself  to  be  more  than  human,  and 
unleashes  his  unholy  minions  upon  you. 


The  architecture  reflects  THIEF'S  Industrial 
Age  look,  although  plenty  of  fantasy 
elements  spice  up  the  atmosphere. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ♦ AUGUST  1998 


if.computergaming.c 


. ■ _ 

^ 1 .. 

a' 

w**'  . ■ 'I  ' 

u 

-- - 

RAGE  AGAiNST  THE  MACHINE  THIEF'S  setting  aiiows  the  game  to 

use  puzzles  that  incorporate  steam  engine-era  machinery. 

MANO'A'MANO  The  emphasis 
in  THIEF  is  on  sneaky,  one-on- 
one  combat  with  melee 
being  a last  resort  (unless 
you're  stabbing  someone  in 
the  back). 


Lurking  in  the 
Shadows  Unknown 

Okay,  so  the  plot  and  atmos- 
phere are  immersive,  but  what 
about  the  actual  game?  You  won't 
be  disappointed.  Looking  Glass  is 
going  for  a faster-paced  game 
than  SYSTEM  SHOCK.  THIEF'S  claim 
to  fame  will  be  its  premise.  You 
play  a thief,  and  as  such  you'll 
often  skulk  through  levels  back- 
stabbing  and  evading  enemies, 
rather  than  running  in  with  cross- 
bows at  the  ready. 

The  engine  is  Looking  Glass's 
own,  and  has  standard  features 
such  as  3D  acceleration,  high 
color  usage,  and  dynamic  lighting. 
Due  to  the  nature  of  the  game, 
there  won't  be  many  outdoor 
environments;  the  action  generally 
takes  place  in  dosed  spaces.  The 
most  open  environments  that 
you'll  get  are  town  streets.  The 


beginning  levels  will  features  lots 
of  mansions  and  houses;  in  later 
missions  you'll  explore  prisons, 
mills,  garrisons,  and  a temple. 

While  the  game  engine  doesn't 
sound  particularly  special,  the 
gameplay  itself  will  make  Thief 
unique.  As  a thief,  you've  mas- 
tered the  art  of  hiding  in  the 
shadows,  attacking  from  behind, 
and  sniping  from  afar.  As  a conse- 
quence, your  fighting  ability  isn't 
as  hardy  as,  say,  that  of  a QUAKE 
marine.  You  enter  into  direct  com- 
bat only  as  a last  resort,  and 
Looking  Glass  intends  that  you 
sneak  past  most  obstacles,  or  at 
least  kill  stealthily,  one  man  at  a 
time.  Your  two  main  weapons  are 
a sword  for  melee  attacks  and  a 
bow  for  ranged  fire.  The  bow  at 
first  fires  normal  arrows,  and  if 
you  score  a shot  to  the  neck  from 
behind,  you'll  net  an  instant  kill. 
Later,  you  can  get  fire  arrows  or 
water  arrows  that  douse  torches. 

To  sneak  around,  you  have  to 
avoid  both  visual  and  aural  detec- 
tion. As  Garrett,  when  you  hide  in 
the  shadows,  you  effectively 
become  invisible  (like  the  Assassin 
in  HEXEN  II).  Your  footsteps  are 
also  quieter  when  you  walk  (run- 
ning will  make  lots  of  noise).  The 
type  of  surface  you  walk  on  will 
affect  the  level  of  noise  you  make, 
which  can  present  a dilemma:  Do 
you  stay  in  the  dark  stone  corridor 
and  risk  making  more  noise,  or  do 
you  walk  on  the  soft  carpet  and 
hope  that  you  don't  get  seen? 


The  enemies  in  the  beginning 
of  the  game  range  from  normal 
guards  to  religious  zealots.  When 
Constantine  acquires  the  artifact, 
the  enemies  become  beasts  from 
the  Devil's  realm.  Looking  Glass  is 
determined  to  make  memorable 
hellbeasts,  rather  than  the  usual 
tired,  fantasy  fare. 

The  Al  in  THIEF  looks  good. 
Looking  Glass  really  does  a nice 
job  of  handling  guard  duty.  The 
guards  patrol  the  halls,  and  if  you 
make  too  much  noise,  they  will 
pause  and  look  for  the  source  of 
the  noise.  If  they  spot  you,  they 
will  chase  you  unless  you  go  back 
into  hiding.  Guards  might  even 
shout  to  each  other  to  converge 
on  you  if  you  make  your  presence 
known.  If  you  manage  to  duck 
back  into  the  shadows,  these 
guards  wili  just  assume  that  they 
are  seeing  things  and  ignore  you. 
We  saw  only  the  guards  in  action, 
so  we  can't  give  details  about  the 
Al  of  other  enemies. 

The  Walls  Have  Ears 

The  missions  in  THIEF  will  place 
great  emphasis  on  puzzle  solving, 
as  in  previous  Looking  Glass 
games.  One  vastly  important  skill 
that  you  have  is  the  ability  to 
eavesdrop  on  the  guards.  Many  of 
the  hints  for  solving  puzzles  and 
getting  through  the  plot  are 
revealed  in  conversations  that  you 
must  overhear.  When  you  are 
going  to  rescue  your  fence,  for 
example,  you'll  need  to  eavesdrop 
on  two  bored  guards,  who  will 


reveal  where  he  is  kept  and  exact- 
ly how  many  guards  are  watching 
him.  Looking  Glass  hopes  to  cre- 
ate a game  in  which  you  really 
have  to  stop,  think,  and  listen  to 
what  is  going  on  around  you. 

Scattered  about  the  levels, 
you'll  find  many  plot-related 
books — both  to  flesh  out  the 
game's  atmosphere  and  to  pro- 
vide supplementary  hints  for  some 
of  the  puzzles.  However,  these  ele- 
ments are  strictly  enhancements: 
Looking  Glass  assured  us  that  the 
gamer  will  never  be  required  to 
read  a book,  and  that  every  puzzle 
and  level  can  be  completed  with- 
out doing  so.  At  every  opportunity. 
Looking  Glass  emphasized  that 
this  is  not  a QUAKE  clone.  The 
design  team  even  thinks  of  this 
title  as  a role-playing  game.  There 
are  no  stats,  but  you  role-play  a 
thief  This  won't  be  some  action- 
intensive game  with  a high  body 
count,  in  fact.  Looking  Glass  is 
designing  the  game  so  that,  if 
played  right,  you  can  finish  with- 
out killing  a single  person. 

From  the  looks  of  it,  Looking 
Glass's  THIEF  has  the  potential  to 
be  another  solid  action-adventure 
game.  While  the  technical  features 
may  not  blow  away  the  competi- 
tion, the  atmosphere  and  the 
gameplay  will  make  this  one 
stand  alone.  In  a genre  dorninated 
by  intense  combat  with  guns  or 
spells,  it's  refreshing  to  see  a 
developer  take  the  time  to  create 
a game  that  emphasizes  stealth 
over  a quick  trigger  finger.  K'i'.'l 


TWO-FACED  LIAR  Much  of  your  time  in  THIEF  will  be  spent  lurking 
in  dark  iocales  such  as  this  crypt 


/.computergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


ATI  XPERT@Play  98  SMB  - The  new  breed  of  speed 


Go  to  #106  @ www.computergaming.com/infonnk 

NowYouSeelt. 

www.atitech.com/cgw 


Check  out  www.atitech.com  for  more  details 
on  ATI’s  Windows  98  products  and  rebates. 

,ATIXPERT@PLAT  98  . assS 

DIAMOND  STEALTH  II  S22D  396 

CREATIVE  LABS  GRAPHICS  BLASTER  EXXTREME  377 


Save  even  more  money  with  ATI's  cool 
Windows  98  rebates.^ 


ATI’s  XPERT  graphics  boards  are  available  in  PCI 
or  full  AGP  2X  versions.  AGP  2X  Includes  free 
Software  DVD  offer. 


• Get  TV  on  your  PC  with  ATI-TV. 


• ATI’s  XPERT  8MB 
graphics  boards  are  the 
only  way  to  experience 
incredible  gaming  in 
Windows  98  and 
Windows  95. 


• Get  SMB  of  power,  the  best 
3D,  DVD  picture  quality  video  and  TV-Out 
starting  from  just  $98'  (ask  your  favorite 
retailer  for  more  details). 


Warhammer  40,000:  Chaos  Cate 

CHAOS  GATE  Strives  to  Be  the  fiesf  PC  Warhammer  Game  Yet 


by  Sam  Baker 

If  you're  getting  a little  tired 
of  real-time  strategy  games, 
SSI's  latest  may  provide 
some  relief.  WARHAMMER 
40,000:  CHAOS  GATE  is  a 
turn-based  tactical  game  set 
in  the  dark,  brooding,  futur- 
istic universe  created  by 
Games  Workshop.  In  the  18-mis- 
sion campaign  you  lead  the 
Ultramarines  through  a series  of 
battles  with  the  dreaded  Chaos 
Marines  and  their  demonic  over- 
lords.  CHAOS  GATE  has  a com- 
pletely new  engine,  which  SSI 
developed  to  address  the  short- 
comings of  SOLDIERS  AT  WAR  (see 
our  SOLDIERS  review  on  page  216). 

Rhinos  on  the  Prowl 

In  CHAOS  GATE,  you'll  find  plen- 
ty of  types  of  space  marines  to 
whet  your  sci-fi  soldier  appetite.  In 
addition  to  the  expected  assault 
troopers,  devastator  squads,  and 
terminators,  SSI  also  includes 
some  special  marines:  librarians, 
captains,  apothecaries,  and  tech 
marines.  The  game  doesn't 
skimp  on  the  tanks,  either, 
providing  Rhino  APCs, 

Predator  Tanks,  land  speed- 
ers, and  the  dreadnought 
suits  that  were  absent  from 
FINAL  LIBERATION.  And  while 
CHAOS  Gate's  vehicular  com- 
bat bears  more  than  a pass- 
ing resemblance  to  X-COM's, 
in  CHAOS  GATE,  you  have  the 
added  benefit  of  being  able  to 
use  the  Rhino  to  transport 
troops  on  the  map. 

As  one  might  expect  from  a 
company  with  SSI's  rich  strategy/ 


The  Cult  of  Chaos 

In  true  War/iammer  fashion, 
CHAOS  GATE  has  quite  the  assort- 
ment of  bad  guys  with  bizarre 
names:  the  Khorne  Berzerkers,  the 
Chaos  Terminators,  the  Chaos 
Cultists,  and  the  dreaded 
Word  Bearer  Chaos 
Marines  (which  sounds 
like  my  editor  near  a 
deadline).  There  are  six 
different  Chaos  Demons 
represented,  including 
the  Pink  Horrors,  which, 
when  shot,  split  into  two 
Blue  Horrors.  Some  foes 
are  more  subdued;  the 
Chaos  Lords,  for  exam- 
ple, are  the  equivalent  of 
Ultramarine  specialists. 
Unlike  a lot  of  paper/ 
miniatures-to-computer  conver- 
sions, SSI's  game  does  a good  job 
of  staying  faithful  to  the  original 
concepts.  The  biggest  depar- 
ture from  the  official 
Warhammer  40,000 
rules  is  that  you 
employ  5-man 
squads  rather 
than  10-man 
squads;  this 
actually 
speeds  up 
play  during 
each  of 


wargame  heritage,  just  about 
every  high-tech  toy  from  the 
Warhammer  40,000  universe  finds 
its  way  into  the  computer  game: 
37  space  marine  weapons  (plus 
several  more  exclusive  to  the 
Chaos  forces),  10  different 
grenades,  and  25  Psyker  and 
Chaos  spells.  For  those  who  like  to 
get  up  close  and  personal,  there 
are  numerous  melee  weapons, 
such  as  the  chainsword,  power 
fist,  and  force  ax.  SSI  has  even 
added  the  special  Terminator 
power  shield  and  force  ax 
combination. 


the  missions  and  grants  you  more 
tactical  flexibility. 

Each  marine  has  10  different 
skills  that  will  improve  if  he  sur- 
vives each  mission:  action  points, 
health,  armor,  ballistic  skill, 
weapon  skill,  strength,  toughness, 
initiative,  number  of  attacks,  and 
leadership.  SSI  diverges  from  the 
Warhammer  40,000  h\h\e  by  mak- 
ing these  skills  percentages  rather 
than  the  mostly  single-digit  values 
used  in  the  tabletop  game,  so  that 
there  is  more  room  for  improve- 
ment. The  penalties  for  leaving  the 
command  radius  of  leaders  are 
less  severe  as  well:  In  CHAOS 
GATE,  marines  who  are  "out  of 
contact"  don't  receive  the  action 
point  bonus  from  their  leader. 

A marine's  every  action  uses 
action  points  (APs),  and  when 
these  run  out,  that  marine's  turn  is 
over.  Marines  may  be  placed  in 
overwatch  by  clicking  on  a button, 
in  that  mode,  the  marine  will 
reserve  enough  APs  to  be  able  to 
take  a normal  shot  at  the  end  of 


Warhammer  40,000: 
Chaos  Cate 


GENRE:  Turn-based  Strategy 
RELEASE  DATE:  Q3  '93 
DEVELOPER:  Random  Games 

PUBLISHER:  SSI 


COMPUTER  CAMINO  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 


I'VE  DESTROVED  BUILDINGS  IN  MV  WAY. 


!r  I AM  ONE  WITH  THE  CROSSHAIRS 


RLUnooappno 


I AM  A FORCE  TO  BE  RECKONED  WITH 


I’VETELEPORTED  INTO  MY  SATELLITE. 


I'VE  DRIVEN  MY  VEHICLES  LIKE  A MANIAC. 


ITORCHEDATAERKAST  BIPLANE 


his  movement,  similar  to  the  snap- 
shot rule  from  X-COM. 

Marines  can  run,  walk,  crouch, 
drop,  toggle  a switch,  search,  use 
psyker  powers,  or  use  jump  packs. 
They  won’t  go  prone,  however. 
Says  Senior  Producer  Scott  Evans, 
"Space  marines  don't  crawl.  These 
are  in-your-face  kind  of  guys.  Their 
job  is  to  die  for  the  emperor." 

There  also  won't  be  any  of 
those  "last  alien  in  the  lavatory" 
sort  of  bug  hunts,  either,  according 
to  Evans;  "We  aren't  placing  any- 
body off  in  a corner.  Chaos 
Marines  are  in-your-face  guys,  too. 
They're  going  to  come  after  you, 
not  be  off  hiding  somewhere.  For 
those  times  when  you  have  to 
find  the  last  guy,  you  can  drag 
select  as  many  marines  as  you 
want  and  tell  them  to  go  there 
and  they'll  keep  going  until  the 
enemy  is  spotted,  then  they  all 
stop  and  you  can  react." 


Every  object  in  the  game  has 
three  states:  perfect,  damaged,  or 
destroyed.  The  damage  value  of 
the  weapon  is  compared  to  the 
damage  value  of  the  object.  If  a 
figure  is  standing  on  a catwalk, 
that  square  may  be  immune  to 
damage.  SSI  hasn't  made  the  deci- 
sion yet  on  whether  or  not  to  do 
falling  figure  animation  and  dam- 
age routines. 

My  Old  Kit  Bag 

Once  you  equip  a marine,  he 
keeps  his  kit,  so  you  won't  have 
to  fiddle  with  a marine's  loadout 
once  it  is  set.  The  interface  is  easy 
to  understand  for  X-COM  veter- 
ans. Even  without  a manual,  I was 
fragging  critters  in  no  time. 

Melee  combat  is  subject  to  ini- 
tiative. However,  even  units  that 
have  used  up  all  of  their  action 
points  have  a certain  number  of 
hacks  remaining  for  close  combat, 
so  you  can't  run 
up  to  a Lord  of 
Chaos  with  a 
lone  regular 
marine  and 
expect  to  be 
standing  when 
your  turn  comes 
to  strike. 

Instead,  the 
more  marines 
you  bring  into 
contact  with  the 
enemy  soldier, 
the  more  dam- 
age they'll  do  by 


0^ 

'j 

( • •«.  . f 

‘ i V- 

■ ^ - I 

••• 

***’• 

■ 

X-COM  NEVER  LOOKED  LIKE  THIS  The  diversity 
of  terrain— especially  when  using  the  mission 
editor — assures  that  things  won't  get  dull. 

overwhelming  him  and  the  more 
likely  your  guys  will  survive. 

Up  to  four  players  can  partici- 
pate as  Chaos  Marines  or 
Ultramarines  over  a network, 
modem,  or  Internet  connection. 
The  only  campaign,  however,  is  for 
the  Ultramarines.  A full  mission 
editor  is  included  with  the  game 
as  well  as  a complete  encyclope- 
dia that  is  accessible  within  the 
game  or  mission  editor. 

In  the  mission  editor,  you  can 
create  single-  and  multiplay 
stand-alone  scenarios,  but  not 
campaigns  (although  you  can  edit 
any  mission  in  the  game  and  save 
it  as  a stand-alone  scenario).  The 
editor  lets  you  use  any  of  the 
graphics,  units,  or  weapons  that 
are  in  the  game.  The  editor 


includes  triggers  and  reactors 
(similar  to  triggers,  only  tied  to  a 
location).  Triggers  are  placed  with- 
in a scenario  by  the  designer  and 
trip  when  certain  things  happen. 
For  example,  you  might  get  a 
Predator  as  reinforcement  when 
you've  crossed/entered  a particu- 
lar square  or  on  turn  10. 

CHAOS  GATE  is  Still  pre-alpha, 
but  even  in  this  early  state,  the 
graphics,  sounds,  music,  and  inter- 
face already  create  a dark,  brood- 
ing atmosphere  totally  different 
from  most  of  the  me-too  strategy 
clones  we've  been  subjected  to 
recently.  If  SSI  keeps  its  focus,  this 
should  be  able  to  satisfy  not  only 
the  hard-core  Warhammer  40,000 
fanatics,  but  those  seeking  the 
next  X-COM  as  well. 


Soldiers  Specialty 


One  advantage  that  Qiaos  Gate  has  over  similar  tactical  sci-fi 
games,  such  as  X-COM,  is  the  wide  variety  of  soldier  specialists. 


I ^Tactical  Squads  Basic  marines  in  powered  armor,  tiie  regular 
I troops.  One  man  in  the  squad  can  carry  a heavy  weapon, 
i Assault  Squads  Troops  geared  for  dose  combat  They  carry  pis- 
I tols  and  melee  weapons.  They  have  jetpacks  to  dose  quickly  with 
i the  enemy. 

: >Oevastatof  Squads  The  boys  with  die  most  toys.  Two  btiopers  in 
each  squad  can  carry  heavy  weapons. 

' Miemiinators  They're  easily  wordi  twice  their  number  of  normal 
: marines.  Each  one  is  a veteran,  and  his  skills  show  it  Over  twice  the 
armor  of  their  nonnal  brothers,  all  amied  to  the  teeth  with  spedal- 
ized  weapons  only  they  can  bear. 

^Capta^n  The  best  of  the  best  His  high  leadership  makes  all  your 
troops  more  effective  and  his  multiple  attacks  make  him  deadly  in 
; close  combat 

I ^Apothecaries  Trained  in  medical  arts,  tiiey  can  heal  their  brothers. 
I >Librarians  These  use  th«r  powerful  psychic  powers  to  heal  and 
i protect  their  brother  marines  and  scourge  tiie  forces  of  Chaos. 

I ^Tech  Marines  Versed  in  the  arcane  arts  of  tedmology,  they  main- 
; tain  the  machines  of  the  empire. 

i ^C3iaplains  Like  captains,  they  inspire  dieir  brothers  to  greater 
! efforts  by  leading  from  the  front 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1993 


^.computergaming.c 


I KNOW  WHERE  THE  POWER  STATIONS  ARE, 


Use  your  map  to  deploy  your  troops  and  jump 
into  any  of  IS  different  types  of  vehicles. 


I KNOW  WHICH  SECTORS  ARE  SECURE. 


Create  your  squadrons  andiet  their  level  of 
aggressiveness  to  defend,  attack,  or  raid. 


Hey  mastermind,  you’re  dead  because  you  didn't  get  your  hands  dirty. 

In  Urban  Assault,'”  you  have  to  battle  on  the  frenzied  front  lines  at  the.  same  time 
you’re  strategizing  the  entire  war.  Of  course,  your  years  studying  at  military 
school  will  come  in  handy,  but  to  win,  you  better  warm  up  that  trigger  finger. 
Shoot  your  browser  over  to  www.microsoft.com/games/urbanassault. 


ISSI  UicttHllCtii«iilioi.  ill  litMs  leuHtt  UicissaHudUibti  ioiilt  itteiUu  npstnV  (nleairkierlnKiauib  ol  UkitsoR  Csrptulfin  la  IM  81  lel'gi  oltotaualrlti. 


mIiii 

7r 

ri  17-’  jT.-, 

7' V', 

7 7i  «: ' = 

<■ 

' 

: 

W'  1 

J 

DEPLOYED  MV  GUYS  USING  THE  TRANSPARENT  MAP.' 

1 ■ -ji  ■■  ■" 

L,J  *»*• 

? L,J 

' 

P 

1 

1 TOLD  MY  GUYS  TO  ATTACK  FROM  BOTH  FLANKS. 

* — ' 

J L_ 
,P 

• r-i 

-J  '»*• 

LT 

P"Y 

K Aij 

1 — Ir  .. 

LJU-' 

I.JP  WJ 

n 

P :«  M 

i 

r 

jjft 

T r-1 

J t,J 

LJ’  ^ 

'**  “5 

C'; 

m 

— 

n n 

HERE  THE  TE 

H 

ECTOR  IS.3 

■ 

L.J  LT 

‘'7?- 

> 5,. 

_1j 

Experience  unparalleled  gaming  Wi®  feawishattering  3D  audio  realism,  enthralling 
4-speaker  surround  sound,  mind-blowing  gaming  acceleration,  and  razor-sharp 
picture  quality.  Visit  our  Website  at  www.soundblaster.com/cgw/suite1/  or  call 
800.998.5227  for  more  information  about  our  award-winning  products,  customer 
service,  and  technical  support. 


SOUND 


mn 


Sound  Blaster®  PCi64 

The  New  Sound  Blaster®  PCI  Audio  Standard. 

• Exhilarating  performance  with  DirectSound®,  3D 
audio,  and  4-speaker  support 

• Genuine  Sound  Blaster®  PCI  ensures  compatibility 
with  existing  DOS  and  Windows®  titles 


SPEAKERS 
PCWorks”  FourPointSurround" 

Surround  Speakers  for  DirectSound®  3D. 

* 4 compact  satellite  speaker  cubes  and  powered 


NEW! 


subwoofer  for  realistic  bass 
Complete  with  rear  speaker  stands  and  wall 
mounting  accessories 


DGES 


OAIWes; 


3D  Blaster®  Voodooz 

The  Fastest  3D  Gameplay.  Period. 

• 3D  processing  power  up  to  3 times  faster  than 
original  Voodoo  graphics  chipset 

• Double  your  horsepower  with  two  SMB  or  12MB 
cards  in  SLI  mode 


P C - D V D 

Creative  PC- DVD"  Encore  Dxr'“2 

A Better  Way  to  Experience  Movies. 

• Cinema-quality  video  and  audio  for  your  PC  or  TV 

• Compatible  with  all  CD  formats 


Create  the  Coolest  PC." 

creative 


WWW.  SDUNDBLASTER.CDM 

Go  to  #154  @ www.computergaming.com/infollnk 


The  Operational  Ait  of  War 

Take  High  Command  in  Norm  Koger's  Magnum  Opus 


by  Johnny  Wilson 

After  the  conclusion  of  "The  War  to  End  All 
Wars,"  the  brilliant  French  marshal 
Ferdinand  Foch  is  quoted  as  saying,  "The 
military  mind  always  imagines  that  the  next 
war  wili  be  on  the  same  lines  as  the  last. 
That  never  has  been  the  case  and  never  will 
be."  I know  of  no  better  object  lesson  to 
that  truth  than  the  myriad  of  theaters  of 
war  presented  in  THE  OPERATIONAL  ART  OF  WAR 
(TOAW).TOAW  features  army-level  combat  in  which 
the  gamer  assumes  the  role  of  theater  commander.  In 
playing  through  the  iist  of  scenarios,  one  realizes  how 
much  the  Allies'  Sicilian  Campaign  requires  a strategy 
different  from  Operation  Uranus  (a  1942  attack  by 
Soviet  forces  against  the  Germans);  sees  how  the 
Arab-lsraeli  conflict  of  1 948  doesn't  require  the 
maneuvering  of  an  Operation  Typhoon  {the  German 
offensive  against  Moscow  in  1941);  and  discovers  that 
the  pitfalls  of  Korea  with  its 
tremendously  harsh  terrain  are 
quite  different  from  those  of  the 
Fuida  Gap  (in  a hypotheticai  cam- 
paign wherein  new  Warsaw  Pact 
forces  attack  Frankfurt  in  1955, 
but  often  played  out  with  modern 
forces  by  NATO  troops  in 
'’Reforger"  exercises). 

To  be  sure,  there  are  some  con- 
stants in  every  scenario.  Victory 
has  a great  affinity  for  those  units 
that  have  the  highest  readiness 
ievei  and  the  best  equipment,  and 
are  in  supply.  Victory  also  shows 


SHIELDS  OF  DAVID  The  IDF  plans  an  attack  during  the  1948  Arab-lsraeli  campaign. 


Some  scenarios 
will  require  clever 
maneuvering  replete 
with  engineering 
tasks  and  repair  of 
rail  lines.  Others  will 
require  vigiiant 
defense  via  judicious 
use  of  air  and 
artillery  support. 


affinity  for  those  units  that  are 
well-supported,  both  by  artillery 
and  air  support.  Yet,  Victory  also 
rewards  those  field  commanders 
who  are  nimble  in  maneuver, 
quick  to  spot  the  strategic  advan- 
tage in  the  surrounding  topog- 
raphy, aware  of  the  strengths  and 
weaknesses  within  their  own 
force,  and  able  to  exploit  the 
weakness  of  the  enemy. 

THE  OPERATIONAL  ART  OF  WAR 
focuses  on  the  latter  challenges. 
The  scenarios  refiect  different  eras, 
campaigns,  and  probiems.  Some 
scenarios  wiii  require  ciever 
maneuvering  replete  with  engi- 
neering tasks  and  repair  of  rail 
lines.  Others  will  require  vigilant 
defense  via  judicious  use  of  air 
and  artiilery  support.  You  can  drill 
deep  and  number  crunch  by 
examining  the  strengths  of  each 
unit:  against  armor,  against 
infantry,  against  high-altitude  air- 
craft, against  low-aititude  air  sup- 
port, in  pure  defense  posture,  in 
reconnaissance,  while  performing 


The  Operational  Art  of  War 


GENRE:  Wargame 
RELEASE  DATE:  Q2  '98 
DEVELOPER:  Norm  Koger 
PUBUSHER:  TalonSoft 


engineering  tasks,  while  repairing 
railroads,  or  while  engaging  in 
artillery  bombardment. 

You  handle  gameplay  via  a 
point-and-click  interface  on  a two- 
dimensional  map.  Generals  move 
units  analogous  to  the  typical 
cardboard  counters  of  board- 
based  wargames  with  standard 
military  symbology  on  the  coun- 
ters. Right-clicking  on  a unit  opens 
up  a myriad  of  options  (summa- 
rized below)  and  allows  you  to 
invoke  attack  or  support  plans. 
Once  the  planning  is  accom- 
plished, the  computer  resolves 
attacks  and  displays  the  resolution 
in  a small  window  with  3D  repre- 
sentation of  the  attackers.  Then, 
shouid  the  attack  have  been  sue- 
cessfui,  the  "cardboard  counters" 
animate  and  retreat  on  the  2D 
map.  This  is  foilowed  by  detaiied 
summaries  of  iosses  for  both  sides 
being  displayed  on  the  screen. 

Generalisimo 
Micromanager  Is 
Not  Dead 

Micromanaging  gamers  will 
love  the  detailed  lists  that  disclose 
every  available  piece  of  war 
materiei  and  repiacement  unit. 
Controi-oriented  commanders  wili 
adore  the  "Plan  an  Attack"  option 


A COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  199B 


j.computergaming.c 


A M E 1^  1 C A l]  i |J  N ' T GET  TO  !3  E T H E 


ancord 


Highly  skilled  and 
expertly  trained,  the 

U.S.  Army  Rangers 

are  the  most  revered 


Intensely  real,  SpecOps:  Rangers  Lead  the  Way  takes  you  from  snowy 
Korean  forests  to  steamy  South  American  jungles.  Everything  is 
authentic,  from  uniforms  and  vehicles  to  the  tandem  Ranger  “fireteams." 
Everywhere  you  go,  another  Ranger  goes  with  you,  watching  your  hack, 
following  your  commands,  and  trusting  you  with  his  life. 


cncii 


ortu  11^  o- 


Bangers  Lead  the  Wav 


So  let's  go,  soldier 

Your  country  needs  you. 


Your  COUNTRY, 
Your  HONOit, 
Your  TU«N. 


www.ripcordgames.coni 


YOUR  OFFICE 


■ Feanites  3D  acceleraled  gtaoldcs  lor  3DDi*  ■ Choose  Horn  20  acDon-soakeil  slogle  missions  ■ Immersive  game  world  wlto  real  sehlole 

and  Power  IIDf  or  Ihe  ovhllaraUng  desert  campaign.  graphics  and  real  audio  samples. 


- Stellar  mulUplaser  made  allows  haniing 
over  modem.  UN  or  the  Internet. 


■ Competitive  gameplav  tor  novice 
thtongh  hard-core  plavers. 


■ Powerlpl  mission  editor  tor 
endless  reolasahillty. 


©1998  3Dfx  Interactive,  Inc.  The  3Dfx  Interactive  logo,  Voodoo  Graphics,  Voodoo2  and  Voodoo  Rush  are  trademarks  of  3Dfx  Interactive,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved. 
Spearhead  Is  a trademark  and  Interactive  Magic  Is  a registered  trademark  of  Interactive  Magic,  Inc.  ©1 998  Interactive  Magic,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved. 


YOUR 


ll's  you,  your  tank,  and  the  U.S.  Army  going  tn  war  In  tho  hoat  soaked  deserts  ot  lUnlsIa. 
Spearhead  nuts  you  In  charge  et  the  Aimy's  best  armered  weapan,  the  M1A2,  loimersing 
you  in  Intense  hatties  with  state-oi  the-art  graphics  and  innovative  adrenaline-pumping 
gameplay.  Stop  playing  around,  it's  time  to  go  to  work. 


www.imaglcgames.com 


Go  to  #086  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


sWARNlNdV  with  the  wfoii^:^ 

: Vbodeo  game  board  oait  be  painfuL  ; ^ 

'’W'i  / > >y  //->yy7  • > ■•  i t"i i * t f a f"t  f i i/yi  it  V 


1-B00-408-9B63 


canopu! 

Pure  3D  power. 

W998  C»noi«»  Cvforaxx.  m nffils  tutved.  PunlO  dm  Quck  CcntKl  sif  a 
Otvtma  tn  *s!<ri.  inc  to  W Soifwa’e.  Uk.  OrslnOutM  ly  dOfi’Sion,  Ik.  ukkt 
AetivisimS  IS  a refslsim  Irddmaii  cl  Mvsisn,  Ik.  XXMi  is  a rtgialuM  lia 


More  memory  is  better.. .for  faster,  smoother,  more  realistic  game  action. 
The  PureSD  II  with  12MB  memory  blows  away  all  other  SMB  game 
boards.  And,  the  original  6MB  PureSD 
and  PureSD  LX  smokes  other  4MB 
Voodool  boards...  they  even  give  the 
SMB  Voodoo2  boards  a run  for  their 
money  in  sub-200  MHz  PCs.  Don't  get 
^*$329  " ^”$^1^29 under-powered,  under- 

featured reference  design  game  board.  Order 
your  PureSD  game  card  today.  Call  Canopus  toll-free  at  (888)  868-2533,  on 
the  web  at  http://www.pure3d.com,  or  direct  from  the  PC  Zone  or  Insight. 

I CBnoBus  CdBon'.icn.  VccOco  is  c UXtman  d ICt  U OKf  traaemaiiis  an  me  piccnt)  ot  inea  nsceam  iKvfs.  Quau  a Mission  PaeA:  ine  PecSonnt"' CI998  U Scllwan.  In 

IK£9js  s leSisl&M  tfmemsn  ol UJ  soHnaic.  /nc.  QvaXe  c MsSAmPacS'  Pw  RecScciefK^  l^caSa  f/'-,  IK  Satasia'^ name,  the  Q 11^' logo  and  Vie  lofo  ere  t/mefnsfXs  d 10  Sdlnaes.  Inc. 

Go  to  #266  @ www.computergamlng.com/infoiink 


THE  OPERATIONAL  ART  OF  WAR 


that  lets  you  determine  air, 
artillery,  and  close  support  for 
every  encounter.  Yet,  more  com- 
mand-centered gamers  will  use 
the  "Group  Move"  option  to 
maneuver  large  groups  of  units  in 
an  orderly  fashion,  as  well  as  the 
"All  Units  Attack"  options  in 
which  you  must  choose  among 
minimizing  losses,  limiting  losses, 
and  going  for  important  objectives 
without  considering  the  losses. 

TOAW  also  reflects  combat 
realities  in  interesting  ways. 
Generals  always  want  crack 
troops  in  key  positions.  Yet,  a gen- 
eral doesn't  really  know  the  level 
of  competence  and  morale  of 
some  troops  until  they  have  been 


WARPAINT  like  Kog«^s  Wargame  Construction  Krts  for  SSI,  TOAW 
will  feabire  a versatile  editor  for  maps,  units,  and  events. 


a unit;  Fortify  a unit  (a  stronger 
version  of  Entrench);  assign  a 
unit  to  Taaical  Reserve  (where- 
by reaction  to  enemy  presence 
is  restricted  to  adjacent  hexes); 
deploy  a unit  as  Local  Reserve 
(whereby  reaction  to  enemy 
presence  occurs  within  the 
radius  of  the  unit's  movement 
allowance):  attempt  to 
Reorganize  (a  modern  version 
of  rallying  the  troops  after 
unsuccessful  combat):  Embark 
(by  boarding  transports,  trains, 
ships,  or  planes);  use  air  units 
to  support  combat  troops, 
interdict  enemy  planes,  or  fly 
superiority  missions  (ensure 
that  one's  enemy  is  less  likely 
to  be  able  to  use  air  support); 
or  rely  on  standard  Move  and 
Attack  commands. 


Not  since  Gary  Grigsby's  classic 
PACIFIC  WAR  have  we  seen  such 
depth  of  detail  in  a computer 
wargame.  But  the  news  gets  bet- 
ter. Every  aspect  of  this  game  can 
be  edited.  The  maps  can  be  edited 
(or  built  from  scratch),  orders  of 
battle  can  be  built  or  customized, 
weather  can  be  delineated,  calen- 
dar can  be  controlled,  and  special 
events  can  be  scheduled  to  trigger 
at  appropriate  points. 


A Code  Named  Ultra? 

Naturally,  it  is  difficult  to  pre- 
dict the  ultimate  competence  of 
the  artificial  generals  from  pre- 
release code.  Yet,  the  early  indica- 
tors seem  positive.  It  could  be 
either  our  imagination  or  wishful 
thinking,  but  we've  seen  artificial 
generals  perform  very  smart 
maneuvers  to  cut  supply  or  wear 
down  fortified  positions.  This  may 
depend  on  the  scenario,  but  it 
seems  to  bode  well  for  the  playa- 
bility of  the  game. 

Whether  the  artificial  oppo- 
nents are  the  ultrafoe  or  not, 
TalonSoft  has  built  in  the  typical 
two-person  hotseat  and  play-by- 
email  options  that  will  allow  vet- 
eran gamers  to  challenge  real 
intelligence  as  opposed  to  merely 
facing  the  artificial  kind. 

One  thing  seems  absolutely 
certain:  THE  OPERATIONAL  ART  OF 
WAR  is  Norm  Koger's  finest  hour. 
TOAW  is  the  deepest  and  most 
fascinating  wargame  he  has  yet 
designed. 


bloodied  in  battle.  So,  TOAW  does 
not  assign  a proficiency  level  until 
a unit  actually  engages  in  battle. 
The  general  has  an  estimated  pro- 
ficiency level,  but  the  actual 
results  may  vary  up  to  25  percent 
of  that  estimate.  Naturally,  once  a 
unit  has  attained  veteran  status, 
the  competence  of  a unit  is  well- 
known.  Lose  too  many  tanks  and 
replace  the  losses?  The  veteran 
status  may  disappear  to  reflect 
the  untried  troops  being  shuttled 
into  that  unit. 

Generals  can  know  the  level  of 
unit  readiness  at  a glance.  Fully 
rested  units  have  a readiness  of 
100  percent;  exhausted  troops,  a 
readiness  of  only  30  percent. 


Since  TOAW  averages  readiness 
level  with  proficiency  level  in 
order  to  obtain  the  quality  of  the 
troops,  detail-oriented  gamers 
(sometimes  maligned  as  "control 
freaks")  will  monitor  unit  readi- 
ness and  proficiency  with  assidu- 
ousness. Other  gamers  will  appre- 
ciate the  fact  that  this  detail  is 
used  in  TOAW,  but  will  probably 
monitor  the  readiness/proficiency 
levels  only  when  deploying  for 
important  battles. 

Experienced  gamers  will  also 
appreciate  the  number  of  deploy- 
ment orders  available  to  TOAW 
generals.  One  doesn't  merely  have 
the  option  of  assigning  a unit  to 
Defend.  Rather,  one  may:  Entrench 


/.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


Hallucinate  without 
the  hangover.  , 


IMMUteifi 

pnoouaioNc 


Expand  your  mind. 

Explore  www.morpheu5game.com 


New  3D  Action/Adventure 
<iamts  Are  Stealing  Lara's  Look  but 

- ' j 

Adding  Their  Own  Brand  of  Gameplay 


Tomb  Raider  III 

She's  Back,  and  This  Time  It's  a Real  Sequel 

by  Charlotte  Panther 


When  TOMB  RAIDER  first 
made  its  appearance 
almost  two  years  ago, 
gamers  were  totally 
captivated,  not  only 
with  the  game's  luscious  heroine, 
Lara  Croft,  but  also  with  the  tech- 
nology and  gameplay.  Core  had 
taken  3D  technology — which  had, 
until  that  point,  been  primarily  the 
property  of  shoot-'em-ups — and 
used  it  to  enhance  a completely 
different  game  environment.  TOMB 
RAIDER  was  still  fundamentally  an 
action  game — Lara  had  guns  and 
wasn't  afraid  to  use  them — but 
the  gameplay  went  beyond  testing 
how  fast  your  reflexes  were.  Here, 
the  emphasis  was  on  adventure, 
discovery,  and  problem-solving,  if 
you  had  to  shoot  a few  enemies 
along  the  way.  well,  so  be  it. 

In  TOMB  RAIDER  II,  the  game's 
pace  was  speeded  up  somewhat, 
but  the  engine  and  gameplay 
showed  little  change.  The  one 
noticeable  difference  was  the 
environment:  TOMB  RAIDER  had 
focused  on  dreary  caverns  and 
dark  grottoes;  TOMB  RAIDER  II 
allowed  you  to  experience  the  out- 
door wonders  of  places  like  Venice. 

With  TOMB  RAIDER  III  in  the 
works,  even  the  most  ardent  TOMB 
RAIDER  fans  may  be  apt  to  some 
skepticism  (do  the  words  "milking 
it"  spring  to  mind?).  From  what 
we've  seen  so  far,  however,  it 
looks  as  though  the  evolution 
from  TOMB  RAIDER  II  to  TOMB 
RAIDER  III  will  be  a far  greater 
leap  than  was  the  case  with  the 
previous  episode.  Back  in  January, 


Tomb  Raider  III 

REIE«E  DATiQ4'98-^'^  ''" 

DEVaOPERlCore 

PUBUSHER:£idos 

STYLE:  A classic  Lara  Croft  adventure 

wlth.loeofenvironmentstoexplore  • ; 

arid  puzzles  to  s(te'  • ' ' 


when  I first  heard  that  Lara  would 
be  returning  for  a third  perfor- 
mance, the  game  was  not  planned 
as  a complete  sequel — Eidos  was 
describing  it  as  TOMB  RAIDER  2.5, 
which  suggested  that  this  would 
be  more  like  an  add-on,  not  a new 
game.  So  why  the  sudden  decision 
to  bill  it  as  TOMB  RAIDER  III?  Are 
there  really  enough  changes  to 
justify  a complete  sequel? 

Core  Design  certainly  thinks  so. 
Adrian  Smith,  the  director  of 


placed  around  the  core  of  the 
meteorite  in  the  form  of  an  altar, 
have  been  stolen  and  scattered 
throughout  the  world.  Legend  has 
it  that  they  hold  the  secret  to 
great  powers;  in  fact,  they  actually 
hold  the  most  important  discover- 
ies in  genetics  and  evolution  since 


80  percent  of  the  engine,  imple- 
menting a much-improved  dynam- 
ic lighting  system  into  the  new 
game.  Fans  will  also  notice  that 
there  is  less  shooting  in  TOMB 
RAIDER  lii  and  a return  to  the 
puzzle-solving  of  the  first  game. 


Survival  of 
the  Fittest 

When  planning  the 
TOMB  RAIDER  games, 
the  first  thing  the 


WATER,  WATER  EVERYWHERE  TOMB  RAIDER  III  will  feature  greatly  improved  water  effects  with 
more  realistic  splashing  and  better  reflections. 


design  on  TOMB  RAIDER,  admits 
that  TOMB  RAIDER  il  wasn’t  really 
a new  game.  That  won't  be  the 
case  with  TOMB  RAIDER  III.  With 
new  design  team  members  aboard 
for  TOMB  RAIDER  III,  there  is  no 
shortage  of  ideas.  The  challenge 
will  be  to  incorporate  all  of  these 
new  ideas,  while  maintaining  the 
feel  of  the  original.  Meanwhile, 
the  programmers  have  rewritten 


members  of  the  Core  design  team 
decide  is  which  exciting  locations 
they  want  Lara  to  visit.  Once 
that's  settled,  the  writer  has  the 
arduous  task  of  writing  a factually 
correct  storyline  linking  those 
countries.  This  time,  your  mission 
is  to  locate  and  piece  together 
four  bits  of  a meteor  that  crashed 
into  Antarctica  millions  of  years 
ago.  The  four  pieces,  originally 


Darwin's  theory  of  evolution.  On 
your  quest  to  find  these  pieces, 
you'll  visit  the  islands  of  the  South 
Pacific,  tramp  through  the  jungles 
of  India,  delve  into  London's  mys- 
terious subculture,  and  explore 
Nevada's  infamous  Area  51. 

Once  again,  the  game  will  have 
15  levels,  spread  throughout  these 
locales,  but  TOMB  RAIDER  III 
promises  to  be  less  linear  than  its 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1 998 


i^.coniputprgjming.c 


EiQilCeaQQQQIlQQ 


predecessors,  which  will  allow  you 
to  play  the  levels  in  whatever 
order  you  like.  Your  decisions  will 
not  affect  the  overall  outcome  of 
the  game,  but  there  will  be  advan- 
tages and  disadvantages  to  the 
routes  you  choose.  Some  will  be 
more  difficult  than  others,  but  will 
reward  you  for  your  daring  with 
better  weapons  and  flares.  Core 
hopes  this  subtle  difference  will 
encourage  gamers  to  replay  lev- 
els. The  design  team  is  also  think- 
ing about  other  ways  to  reward 
gamers — you  may  get  a bonus 
depending  on  the  number  of  save 
games  you  use,  for  example. 


Core's  main  focus,  however,  is 
to  enhance  the  game's  special 
effects  to  make  the  atmosphere  of 
TOMB  RAIDER  III  completely 
immersive.  Where  the  previous 
games  sometimes  felt  sparse  and 
lonely.  Core  has  really  tried  to  fill 
out  the  game  environment:  Birds 
and  bats  will  appear  in  front  of 
Lara  as  she  walks  down  a path, 
and  leaves  will  blow  around  the 
floor.  The  new  lighting  system 
makes  the  game  darker  and  more 
mysterious  than  before,  and  light 
and  darkness  will  play  a big  part 
in  the  puzzles.  For  example,  there 
will  be  transparent  platforms  that 


can  be  seen  only  under  the  light 
of  a flare.  You'll  also  discover  that 
some  of  the  baddies  are  afraid  of 
the  light.  There  will  also  be  multi- 
colored lighting  this  time,  trans- 
parency effects  (including  opaque 
light  beams  and  realistic  shad- 
ows), and  improved  water  effects 
with  more  realistic  splashing  and 
better  reflection.  Weather  effects 
will  include  fog,  rain,  and  snow  (in 
which  Lara  will  leave  footprints). 

A new  landscape  system  will  offer 
richer  terrain  detail.  And  Core 
claims  to  have  solved  the  clipping 
problems  that  were  apparent  in 
the  first  two  TOMB  RAIDER  games. 


Lara  will  encounter  a host  of 
human  characters — including  a 
band  of  mercenaries  she  can 
either  fight  or  join — as  well  as  a 
menagerie  of  animals.  To  improve 
the  enemy  Al,  Core  recruited  Tom 
("Dr. Tom")  Scutt,  a specialist  in 
animal  intelligence.  Using  Dr. 

Tom's  principles,  Core  will  apply 
pack  behavior  Al  to  both  human 
and  animal  enemies.  Tigers  will 
now  surround  Lara  before  they 
attack,  rather  than  confronting  her 
head  on.  To  beat  the  more  effi- 
cient pack  tactics,  Lara  can  shoot 
the  leader  and  disperse  the  rest  of 
the  creatures.  Similarly,  when  any 
creatures  hear  a gunshot  the  first 
time,  they'll  get  scared.  By  the 
second  time,  however,  they'll  be 
used  to  it. 

Run,  Lara,  Run 

Enemies  are  well-hidden 
throughout  the  game.  Deadly  pira- 
nhas may  lurk  in  the  waters;  long 
grass  may  disguise  venomous 
snakes  or  other  lethal  critters;  mis- 
chievous monkeys  may  pop  up  at 
any  time  to  steal  your  weapons; 
and  quicksand  traps  can  suck  you 
in  at  any  second.  Lara,  as  always, 
is  well-equipped  to  handle  every 
situation  and  has  plenty  of  new 
moves,  including  the  ability  to 
strafe  while  swimming  and  push 
down,  barge,  or  kick  through 
some  doors  and  scenery.  She  can 
also  do  a hand-over-hand  monkey 
swing,  a rope  swing,  and  a duck- 
and-roll  action,  all  of  which  are 
based  around  new  puzzle  ideas. 
Finally,  Lara  can  now  do  a speed- 
dash — a timed  sprint — so  you  can 
expect  a few  time-based  activities, 
such  as  escaping  from  a rush  of 
oncoming  boulders. 

Core  has  incorporated  more 
vehicles  into  TOMB  RAIDER  III — 
there's  a different  one  in  every 
level,  and  all  of  them  will  be  key 
to  the  gameplay.  For  the  most 
part,  they  will  be  motorized  (the 
team  had  toyed  with  the  idea  of 
putting  Lara  on  horseback,  but 
decided  against  it).  You  can  expect 
to  see  an  underwater  propulsion 
unit,  a snow  vehicle,  and  even  a 


i'.compulergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


©1998  Electronics  Arts.  Electronic  Arts  is  a trademark  or  registered  trademark  of  Electronic  Arts  in  the  U.S.  and/or  other  countries.  All  rights  reserved. 
Firaxis  Games  is  a trademark  of  Firaxis  Games,  Inc. 


ESRB 


s I a m -e  I 


FIRAXIS 


c ; /\  /v»  I .s 


ilCaEilOS^BEQBliQB 


TURN  ON  THE  LIGHTS  Light  and  darkness 
will  play  a big  part  in  TOMB  Raider  Ill's 
puzzles.  This  platform,  for  example,  can  be 
seen  only  by  the  light  of  a flare. 


DASHING  THROUGH  THE  FOES  New  moves 
will  include  a speed  dash,  a rope  swing,  a 
monkey  swing,  and  a duck-and^roll. 


^ . • 

S U:  i. 

[A  4 . 

j 

1 # # ‘ *’  • ' •' 

J • 

1 » - • s 

ARMED  FOR  DEATH  Along  with  her  usual 

Uzi,  this  time  Lara  will  be  packing  a 

Desert  Eagle  Pistol,  a hand  grenade,  and  a 

rocket  launcher. 

canoe— which  Lara  will  use  to  navigate 
treacherous  whitewater  rapids — along 
with  the  usual  cars  and  jeeps. 

Core  considered  implementing  hand- 
to-hand  combat  into  the  game,  but  it 
would  have  required  giving  each  of  the 
bad  guys  a combat  animation  sequence. 
The  space  demands  would  have  been  so 
high,  that  it  would  have  meant  cutting 
out  a weapon  or  some  of  the  enemies. 
Core  decided  it  was  not  worth  the  trade- 
off. Instead,  Lara  will  be  packing  a Desert 
Eagle  pistol,  a hand  grenade,  a rocket 
launcher,  and  the  latest  Uzi  model.  Core 
is  still  deciding  on  other  weapons. 


The 

Ubiquitous 
Lara  Croft 

She  has  graced  the  cover  of  mainstream 
magazines  like  Time  Digital,  she  accom- 
panied the  rock  band  U2  on  Hs  last  world 
tour,  and,  with  the  Tomb  Raider  movie  on  the 
horizon,  she'll  soon  be  a star  of  the  silver 
screen.  It  may  seem  that  Lara  Croft  is  every* 
where,  but  actually.  Core  and  Eidos  are  very 
careful  about  their  starlet's  public  image.  Since 
the  Lara  phenomenon  hit  they  have  been 
offered  many  merchandising  deals— including 


Lara  Wraps  Up 

In  case  anybody  was  worried.  Core 
promises  that  Lara  will  not  wear  those 
short-shorts  when  traveling  through  the 
freezing  snow.  The  design  team  plans  to 
keep  her  wardrobe  sexy,  but  this  time 
they  will  take  into  consideration  the  vari- 
ous climes  she  will  have  to  endure. 

And  finally,  the  question  that  everyone 
has  been  asking:  Will  TOMB  RAIDER  III 
include  network  play?  The  answer  is  no, 
and  the  reason,  according  to  Adrian  Smith 
is  because  the  designers  "can't  think  of  a 
really  good  way  of  doing  it."  They've 
received  many  suggestions  from  gamers, 
including  capture-the-flag,  a two-player 
race  (whereby  the  first  person  to  reach  a 
trap  door  would  get  points  for  opening 
it),  or  having  multiple  Laras  battling  in  a 
very  small  arena.  Core  feels  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  institute  any  of  these 
ideas  and  still  maintain  the  feel  of  the 
game,  partly  because  TOMB 
RAIDER  relies  much  more 
on  discovery  than  on 
shooting.  j 

So,  should  we  | 

expect  a TOMB  RAIDER 
IV?  Core  is  confident 
that  the  game  is  com- 
pelling enough  to  keep 
people  coming  back  for 
more.  As  long  as  the  TOMB 
RAiDER  team  can  maintain 
the  feel  of  the  original,  and  at 
the  same  time  keep  suc- 
cessive games  fresh 
and  exciting,  they 
are  happy  to  con- 
tinue. TOMB 
RAIDER  III  is 
scheduled  for 
a November 
release.  SS!3 


resh  ^ 

r 

/ 


iiL 


opportunities  for  Lara  socks  and  Lara  under- 
wear—but  they  are  very  cautious  about  what 
they  agree  to,  accepting  only  about  1 percent 
of  the  offers  made.  In  fact,  a Lara  Croft  com- 
mittee has  been  established  to  vote  upon 
exactly  what  the  buxom  beauty  should 
endorse.  Core  plans  to  follow  the  James  Bond 
school  of  marketing  and  associate  Lara  only 
with  quality  products  that  fit  her  personality. 

Although  today  Lara  is  every  marketing 
executive's  dream  girl,  she  almost  wasn't  a 
woman.  When  the  original  game  was  con- 
ceived, tiiere  was  some  hesitation  about  Lara 
being  female  because  it  was  unprecedented  at 
the  time  to  have  a strong,  smart,  attractive 
heroine  in  a computer  game.  Toby  Gard  (Lara's 
creator)  and  the  rest  of  the  TOMB  RAIDER  team 
wanted  their  lead  character  to  be  different 
from  the  typical  Arnold  Schwarzenegger-type 
action  hero.  They  wanted  the  character  to  be 
agile,  strong-willed  but  caring,  with  a sense  of 
coyness,  if  they  put  these  personality  traits  on 
a man,  they  risked  producing  a young,  some- 
what wimpy  antihero.  A woman  with 
these  attributes,  however,  made  a per- 
fectly respectable  action  figure.  And 
I k so,  Lara  Croft  was  born, 
k Y As  for  the  upcoming  Paramount 
||  movie.  Core  says  that  it  is  very 

1 ■■  excited,  but  also  a little  nervous. 
1 V After  all,  if  the  film  flops,  that's 

the  end  of  the  franchise.  At 
press  time,  there  was  no 
word  on  who  would  play 
Lara  (I  vote  for  Elizabeth 
* Hurley).  Core's  Adrian 

I Smith  agrees  that  Hurley 

is  a possibility,  but  says 
t that  Core  has  no  dear 

' favorite— just  as  long 
as  it's  someone 
famous.  Tomb  Raider 
The  Mov/e  is  expected  to 
“V  hit  theaters  in  late  1999. 


Elk  COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


.'.coniputcrRuming.e 


O Q iOJ  fli  Q Q ilU  IQ]  Q Q S 


Heretic  II 

Raven's  Next  Fantasy  Game  Takes  a Break 
From  the  First-Person  Look 


by  Thierry  Nguyen 


Kaven's  HERETIC  broke  away 
from  the  mainstream  by 
providing  a DOOM-style 
shooter  in  a pure  fantasy 
environment.  Instead  of 
shooting  aliens,  you  fired  spells  at 
gargoyles.  HERETIC  was  the  first 
title  in  a fantasy  trilogy  that  pitted 
you  against  the  Serpent  Riders, 
with  HEXEN  and  HEXEN  II  rounding 
out  the  series.  With  the  trilogy 
completed,  Raven  is  taking  the 
HERETIC  name  in  a new  direction 
with  HERETIC  II,  complete  with  a 
new  plot,  a new 
perspective,  and 
a new  engine. 


Tomb 
Heretic 

The  back- 
story  for 
HERETIC  II  puts 
you  once  again 
in  the  shoes  of 
Corvus,  the 
original  HERETIC 
who  defeated 
D'Sparil. 

Although 
D'Sparil  and  his 
brothers  are 
now  long  gone, 

Corvus's  world 
is  once  again  in  trouble.  A 
destructive  plague  afflicts  the 
world,  and  it's  up  to  you,  of 
course,  to  find  the  cure. 

The  first  thing  you'll  notice 


about  HERETIC  II  is  that  it's  a 
third-person  game.  You  no  longer 
see  the  world  through  Corvus's 
eyes.  Gameplay  in  HERETIC  II 
focuses  less  on  dispatching 
legions  of  enemies  in  linearly  con- 
structed levels  and  more  on 
exploring,  with  dashes  of  adven- 
ture-style puzzles  and  fast-paced 
action  thrown  in. 

The  preview  alpha  was  an  early 
build  that  showed  off  Corvus's 
actions  and  the  modified  QUAKE  II 
engine.  Corvus  looks  very  good 


for  a third-person  character.  His 
textures  are  more  detailed,  and 
his  movements  more  fluid  than 
those  of  main  characters  in  recent 
games  like  NIGHTMARE  CREATURES 
or  DIE  BY  THE  SWORD.  There  is  still 
some  work  that  needs  to  be  done 
on  animation  and  movement 
(such  as  adding  jumping  and  run- 
ning animations),  but  Raven  is 
dedicating  the  efforts  of  an  entire 
team  to  animating  Corvus  in 
order  to  make  him  fully  playable 
and  realistic. 


Heretic  tl 

I RELEASE  DATE:  04  98 
i DEVQ^PER:  Raven  Software 
1 PUBUSHER;  Activision 
. STYLE:  Furious  action  and  puzi^e- 
{ solving  in  the  HEXEN  universe 


Art  as  Play 

With  its  inventive  use  of  the 
QUAKE  II  engine,  Raven  has  once 
again  shown  that  it  makes  some 
of  the  most  aesthetically  beautiful 
action  games.  In  the  sample  level, 
the  textures  were  crisp  and  nicely 
Illustrated,  and  the  architecture  at 


times  awe-inspiring.  On  top  of 
that,  the  colored  lighting  really 


added  to  the  atmosphere,  espe- 
cially in  the  spell  system. 

Most  of  the  weapons  for 
HERETIC  II  will  be  various  spells. 
Some  are  straightforward,  like 
firebolt,  but  there  are  some 
refreshingly  new  ones.  One  is  the 
Ring  of  Repulsion,  a blue  field 
that  wards  off  enemies.  Another 
is  the  Shield  of  the  Hunter,  green 
spheres  that  circle  Corvus  and  fly 
off  to  strike  nearby  enemies.  The 
only  non-spell  weapon  I saw 
was  the  Magic  Bow.  but  based 
on  the  character  model  for  the 
final  game  it  looks  like  Corvus 
may  have  some  melee  weapons. 

All  in  all,  HERETIC  11  is  a bit  of 
a gamble  for  Raven,  given  its 
new  perspective,  engine,  and 
game  style.  But  with  Raven's 
background  in  solid  fantasy 
games  and  beautiful  art  design, 
HERETIC  il  should  be  something 
to  keep  an  eye  on.  M'.'J 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


A 


v.compufergaming.c 


Go  to  #156  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


and  uTtense  competitiCMi.  VWiether  you’re  hunting  bloodthirsty  terrorists  in  SWAT  2 


QU£ST/-piORY 


eviscerating  diabolical  mutants  In  Half-Life,  you're  always  playing  real  people 


VARRY'5 


in  real  time.  Check  out  WON  and  discover  your  FREEdom  to  play  online. 


Immerse  yourself  in  a 3D  role-playing 
world  populated  with  savage  beasts  and  a 
huge  cast  of  cunning  characters. 


Customize  your  character  class  and  refine 
your  skills  during  gameplay  by  joinii^  one 
or  any  combination  of  warrior,  wizard, 
cleric  or  thieves  guilds. 


Choose  one  of  four  familiars  who  can 
accompany  you  as  a scout,  spy,  fighter, 
gatherer,  healer  or  thief. 


©1998  Westwood  Studios,  Inc.  Lands  of  Lore  is  a registered 
trademark  and  Westwood  Studios  is  a trademark  of  Westwood 
Studios,  Inc.  3Dfx  and  the  3Dfx  logo  are  registered  trademarks 
of  3Dfx  Interactive  Inc,  All  rights  reserved. 


Go  to  #215  @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink 


ElQIilBSQQQQCiOiB 


Drakan 

Get  Ready  for  a Mix  of  TOMB  RAIDER  and 
Fire-Breathing  Dragon  Action 

by  Elliott  Chin 


raced  with  a glut  of  TOMB 
RAIDER-style  action  games 
on  the  horizon,  how  does  a 
publisher  grab  the  attention 
of  jaded  gamers?  By  moving 
to  the  head  of  the  pack  with  a 
hard-core  medieval  fantasy  pack- 
age full  of  playable  dragons  and 
intense,  spell-flinging,  bloodletting 
combat.  Psygnosis's  new  San 
Francisco-based  development 
house  is  working  on  its  first  title, 
DRAKAN.  and  it's  a third-person 
perspective.  3D  action-adventure 
game  with  gameplay  that’s  a 
blend  of  action  and  role-playing. 


Dragon  Quest 

DRAKAN  takes  place  in  a 
medieval  fantasy  world  that  has 
been  overrun  by  evil.  (Haven't 
they  ail  been?)  An  archmage 
named  Kulrik  has  engulfed  the 
world  in  darkness  and  unleashed 
a horde  of  foul  monsters.  Allied 
with  him  are  evil  dragons  who 
rule  the  skies.  As  the  heroine. 

Rynn,  you  discover  that  your  vil- 
lage and  many  others  are  being 
attacked  by  marauding  wartoks 
(fancy  ogres  with  big  noses).  As 
you  embark  on  a quest  to  rid  your 
village  of  wartoks,  you'll  become 
engulfed  In  the  battle  to  thwart 
Kulrik's  plans.  However,  you  won't 
fight  alone.  Eons  ago,  good  drag- 
ons ruled  the  world  justly,  and  one 
such  being — Arokh — has  returned 
to  help  your  people  in  their  dark- 
est hour.  Early  in  the  game,  you 
will  find  this  noble  dragon,  a 


Drakan 

RELEASE  DATE:  Q1  '99 
I DEVELOPER/ PUBU5HER: 

I Psygtrods' 

STYLE:  A hadc-and-slash  with 
; dungeon  romping  and  dragon  riding. 


mighty  wyrm  capable  of  mass 
destruction  and  fiery  breath.  Whiie 
you  will  be  able  to  wield  all  sorts 
of  weapons,  from  swords  to  axes 
to  crossbows  to  maces,  your 
winged  companion  will  use  vari- 
ous breath  weapons,  including 
fire,  ice,  and  lava.  Of  course,  nei- 
ther of  you  starts  out  with  an 
awesome  arsenal.  You'll  have  to 
discover  these  weapons  and 
acquire  new  abilities  as  you 
explore  the  vast  gameworld. 

The  game  ranges  across  five 
worlds  with  widely  differing  envi- 
ronments, and  the  worlds  com- 
prise more  than  a dozen  levels. 
Unlike  in  classic  action  games,  you 
won't  progress  from  level  to  level 
just  by  shooting  and  killing  things. 
You  have  quests  and  missions  you 
must  solve,  and  these  missions 
will  take  you  between  levels  and 
possibly  worlds.  Each  level  will  be 
vast,  and  can  include  above- 
ground and  underground  loca- 
tions, While  you're  cruising  the 
skies  on  Arokh  in  one  level,  you 
might  spot  an  interesting  cave 
below.  Dismounting  fromArokh's 


back,  you  can  then  venture  into 
the  cave  to  explore. 

Thanks  to  the  graphics  engine, 
the  transition  between  indoor  and 
outdoor  environments  should  be 
seamless,  and  you’ll  be  able  to 
enter  and  retreat  from  the  caves 


as  often  as  you  like.  The  different 
environments  you  might  traverse 
include  villages,  caves,  ice  caverns, 
forests,  mountains,  swamps,  and 
volcanoes. 


People  to  See, 

Things  to  Kill 

Populating  these  levels  will  be 
humans,  whom  you'll  talk  to  for 
quests  and  genera!  information, 
and  monsters,  which  you'll  fight  in 
droves.  There  are  evil  dragons, 
troll-like  wartoks,  stone-hurling 
giants,  and  scavengers.  The 
humans  you'll  encounter  are 
important,  not  just  because  they 
give  you  quests,  but  because 
they'll  also  open  up  new  spells 
and  breath  weapons  to  you  once 
you  complete  the  tasks  they  give 
you.  Although  Rynn  does  not  start 
with  any  speii-casting  abilities, 
later  in  the  game  she  will  learn  to 
use  potent  magics. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


if.compulergaming.com 


liQOQfliaOiQtBOOQB 


No  matter  what  quests  you 
take,  which  worlds  you  explore,  or 
what  monsters  you  fight,  you’ll 
always  have  the  choice  of  contin- 
uing on  Arokh's  back  or  on  foot. 

In  the  very  first  level  of  the  game, 
you'll  begin  your  initial  quest  on 
foot.  However,  once  you  find  the 
dragon  Arokh,  you  can  ride  on  his 
back  for  nearly  the  entire  game. 
The  choice  is  yours:  You  can  either 
fly  from  place  to  place  and  get 
there  quickly,  or  you  can  walk  and 
pick  up  power-ups  and  weapons, 
meet  various  NPCs,  and  explore 
the  environments. 

In  either  case,  you  will 
encounter  enemies,  whether  they 
are  flying  dragons  or  earthbound 
giants.  In  the  air,  you’ll  engage  in 
aerial  dogfights;  on  land,  you'll 
trade  sword  blows  and  spells  with 
your  enemies.  If  you  do  choose  to 
fly  around  the  levels,  you  can 
always  land  Arokh  and  do  some 
exploring  on  your  own.  It  will 
actually  be  very  important  to 
explore  on  your  own  because 
there  are  plenty  of  puzzles  to 
solve  and  secret  areas  to  discover, 
all  of  which  you  would  miss  if  you 
were  in  the  air.  There  will  also  be 
a number  of  levels  and  caves 
designed  solely  for  Rynn;  at  these, 
Arokh  will  simply  have  to  wait  for 
you  to  finish  your  quest.  Defeating 


Kulrik,  however,  will 
require  the  combined 
might  of  you  and  your 
draconic  steed. 

The  graphics  engine 
that  Psygnosis  has 


developed  looks  sharp,  and  the 
skeletal  animation  system  is  prov- 
ing capable  of  incredibly  realistic 
animation  for  both  Rynn  and 
Arokh.  Rynn  has  more  than  a hun- 
dred different  moves,  and  she 
rivals  Lara  Croft  for  fluidity,  not 
just  for  sheer  numbers  of  actions. 


Unlike  TOMB  RAIDER,  DRAKAN 
will  ship  with  multiplayer  support. 
At  the  very  least,  you'll  be  able  to 
deathmatch  with  other  dragon- 
riding players.  With  a great 
premise,  adventure-  and  role-play- 
ing-style  gameplay,  and  plenty  of 
environments  to  explore,  DRAKAN 
promises  to  be  one  of  the  better 
third-person  titles  on  the  horizon. 
Look  for  Psygnosis  to  release  it  in 
early  1999.  SSU 


v.cotnpulergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


flight  Sim  of  the  Sbbv-PC  Format 

Comanche^  3 Is  tiie  Winner  oi  Multiple  Awards: 


IN  STORES  NOW 

Original  teandnJ  Owners:  OpgraOe  to  ComiwIieEoldani  Receive  $15.00'  Back  Ironi  novaLeglc 
(see  store  lor  details  or  visR  nor  web  site  at  www.nDvalDglc.coni) 

tiMied  time  otter. ’‘ms  iRtnrct  play  vb/HnmrtfflK  BP  ranked.  Flayer  R«^  appleelilekiternei.  comecOon  and  telephone  lees. 

@ 18B8  NovaLsgic,  Inc.  Gonunche,  iUH-BB  and  ItovaLogic  are  reglsured  trat^iitaiiio  ol  lyovsloglc,  Inc. 

U.S.  Patent « 5,62S,7B8  and  ^SSO.BSS.  Afl  other  tpettamarhs  are  Ills  properly  ot  Uielr  respeeUvo  ownere. 

Go  to  #094  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


• NEW  Campaigns  and  Missions 

• NEW  Mission  Design  Tool 

• NEW  Terrain,  Vehicles  and  Objects 

• NEW  Amazing  Weather  Effects 

• NEW  Weapons  Loadout  Option 

• NEW  internet  Multi-play**  via 


• NEW  Windows'^  95  Native  and 
MMX"  Support 

• BONUS  Campaign  Designed  by  the  U.S 
Army's  Official  Comanche  Team 

• INCLUDES  an  Enhanced  Version  of  the 
Best-selling  Helicopter  Sim  of  1997, 

JomanCheF’  3 (source;  PC  natal 


. 

■ 

■ 

- 

Prince  of  Persia  3D 


Is  That  a Double-Edged  Sword  in  Your  Pocket,  or  Are  You  Just  Glad  To  Play  This? 


s we  first  reported  in  last 
month's  CGW,  Red  Orb 
(Broderbund)  is  busily 
reviving  one  of  the  premier 
titles  in  the  company's  his- 


tory; PRINCE  OF  PERSIA,  Fresh  for 
the  millennium,  the  seminal  plat- 
former Is  returning  in  a (what 
else?)  brand-new  30  engine, 
putting  you  into  the  heart  of  the 
action  a la  TOMB  RAIDER  (which, 
itself,  was  influenced  by  the  first 
PRINCE  OF  PERSIA). 

PRINCE  OF  PERSIA  3D  has  more 
going  for  it  than  just  the  name.  It 
also  boasts  the  design  and  story 
guidance  of  Jordan  Mechner,  cre- 
ator of  the  original  POP  games. 


Prince  of  Persia  3D 

RELEASE  DATE:  Q1 '99 
DEVaOPER/  PUBLISHER:  Red  Orb 

Entertainment 

STYLE:  Platform  twitdi  action,  puzzte 
I solving,  and  swordplay. 


Along  with  the  game’s  producer, 
Andrew  Pedersen  (whose  name 
we  misspelled  last  issue),  Mechner 
is  hoping  to  create  a game  that  is 
faithful  to  the  spirit  of  the  PRINCE 
OF  PERSIA  series 
while  pro- 
pelling it  into 
a state-of- 
the-art  3D 
extrava- 
ganza. As 
such,  all 
the  great 
traps,  puzzles, 
and  twitch-factor 
gaming  that  made  the 
first  two  games  so  mem- 
orable will  be  here,  only 
now  you'll  experience  them 
from  an  immersive,  over-the- 
shoulder  perspective. 

As  he  demonstrated  in  previ 
ous  POP  games  and  in  his 
recent  adventure  game, 


EXPRESS,  Mechner 
is  as  concerned 
with  giving  gamers  a 
coherent,  entertaining 
story  as  he  is  with 
gameplay.Thus,  the 
game's  15  levels 
will  not  only  ramp 
up  in  difficulty 
through  a 


series  of  diabolical  puzzles  to 
solve,  they'll  also  tell  an  Arabian 
NIghts-style  story  of  love  betrayed 
and  found  again.  And  don't  worry 
if  that  sounds  too  civilized,  there'll 
be  plenty  of  challenging  sword- 
play and  bad  guys  to  dismember 
as  well.  Mechner's  track  record  is 
solid;  look  for  the  PRINCE  to  come 
roaring  back  in  a big  way  in  early 
1999.  — Jeff  Green 


Redguard 

Tamriel  Returns  in  a New  Elder  Scrolls  Adventure  That's  Not  an  RPG 


hen  Johnny  Wilson,  the 
editor-in-chief  cum 
diplomat  of  Computer 
Gaming  World,  took  a 
look  at  Bethesda's 
upcoming  REDGUARD  recently,  his 
first  words  were:  "Oh,  look,  it's 
PRINCE  OF  DAGGERFALL."  After  tak- 
ing a moment  to  wonder  whether 
or  not  they  had  been  insulted,  the 
developers  agreed:  REDGUARD  is  a 
PRINCE  OF  PERSIA-style  action 
adventure  that  takes  place  in  the 
DAGGERFALL  world  of  Tamriel. 

Set  40  years  before  the  time  of 


Redguard 
RELEASE  DATE:  Q4  ‘98 
DEVELOPER/ PUBUSHER: 

Bethesda 

STYLE:  Lots  of  adventure  game-style 
puzzles  mixed  with  light  action  and  " 
sword-figliting. 


DAGGERFALL,  REDGUARD  puts  you 
in  the  role  of  Cyrus,  a mercenary 
Redguard  who  returns  to  his  home 
in  order  to  find  his  sister,  who  has 
disappeared.  A civil  war  has 
gripped  the  land,  and  the  Empire  is 
running  the  city.  Is  your  sister's  dis- 
appearance somehow  tied  to  the 
political  intrigue?  Discovering  why 
she  has  disappeared  and  where 
she  has  gone  are  the  mysteries 
that  send  you  on  your  adventure. 

Unlike  the  sprawling 
DAGGERFALL,  REDGUARD  is  a tightly 
focused,  three-act,  linear  game,  set 
almost  entirely  on  one  island.  The 
developers  estimate  that  the 
gameplay  will  be  split  70-30 
between,  respectively,  adventure 
game-style  puzzle-solving  and 
action;  the  latter  mainly  takes  the 
form  of  swashbuckling.  The  com- 
bat action  we  saw  looked  fun  but 


simple,  with 
just  a few  keys 
to  memorize, 
much  like 
PRINCE  OF 
PERSIA. 


The  new  3D  engine  (which  as  of 
this  writing  supports  only  3Dfx  for 
hardware  acceleration)  is  a huge 
improvement  over  DAGGERFALL's 
engine,  bringing  Tamriel  to  life 
with  a stunning  variety  of  details, 
including:  contoured  terrain,  beau- 
tiful textures  maps,  and  vibrant 


dynamic  lighting.  While  the 
thought  of  an  adventure  game 
based  on  an  RPG  series  brought 
back  bad  memories  of  WIZARDRY 
NEMESIS,  Sir-Tech's  less-than-suc- 
cessful  attempt  to  crossbreed  the 
genres,  REDGUARD  actually 
impressed  us.  It's  a strong  story, 
set  in  a fleshed-out  fantasy  world, 
with  a great  engine  behind  it.  Look 
for  it  this  Christmas.  — Jeff  Green 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


i^.computergdming.( 


Special  Advertising  Section 


iTM 


SYMANTEC. 


Special  Advertising  Section 


No  Barriers 

Getting  the  most  out  of  your  computer  has 
never  been  easier  — or  more  important. 


With  each  passing  week  your 
computer  takes  on  more  jobs.  It's 
your  livelihood,  and  the  place  you 
keep  your  financial  records.  It 
helps  the  kids  do  their  homework. 
Your  computer  preserves  a treasure 
trove  of  files,  inspires  creative 
projects  and  provides  the  tools  you 
need  so  you  don't  stay  too  late  at 
the  office.  It  allows  you  to  gather 
Information  from  the  far  reaches  of 
the  planet  and  shop  in  cyberspace 
malls.  You  can  use  your  computer 
to  play  games  — by  yourself  or  in 
a crowd,  Thanks  to  your  computer, 
you  write  letters  again,  knowing 
they'll  be  delivered  in  minutes 
instead  of  days  or  weeks.  It’s 
even  become  your  family  photo 
album  and  a darkroom  all  rolled 
into  one. 

No  question  about  it.  Your 
computer  helps  relieve  the  burdens 
of  work  and  chores,  opens  new 
arenas  for  the  curious  of  mind  and 
offers  welcome  comic  relief  when- 
ever you  want  it. 

But  as  your  computer’s  tasks 
and  assignments  grow,  so  does  its 


complexity  — and  the  importance 
of  the  data  it  contains.  These  days, 
your  computer  runs  more  applica- 
tions and  supports  more  members 
of  your  household  than  ever  before. 
And  it  needs  some  care  and  feeding 
to  serve  you  well. 

Easy  as  one,  two,  three 

Happily,  taking  care  of  your 
computer  and  the  valuable  data 
on  it  is  not  hard.  The  goal  is  to 
eliminate  external  threats  to  your 
system,  keep  it  running  smoothly 
and  prevent  time-wasting  and  data- 
destroying  failures  when  you're 
using  several  applications  at  once. 

With  just  a few  simple  steps  and 
the  right  software  products,  you 
can  keep  your  data  safe  and  your 
Windows  system  in  top  condition. 

Protect  your  system 

Unless  your  computer  always 
runs  in  complete  isolation  — no 
email,  no  downloaded  files  from 
the  Internet,  no  floppy  disks  used 
on  another  system  — then  you  need 
to  worry  about  viruses.  And  though 
computer  viruses  can  be  scary  — 
freezing  your  system,  eating  your 
data  — you  can  defend  yourself. 

So,  white  you  may  not  be  able 
to  avoid  computer  viruses, 
you  can  protect  your  system  by 
installing  an  antivirus  utility  like 
Norton  AntiVirus™  that  scans  your 
disk,  finds  viruses  lurking  there 
and  gets  rid  of  them. 

Norton  AntiVirus  automatically 
protects  your  computer  against 
both  today's  viruses  and  tomorrow's 
unknown  viruses,  covering  all 


possible  sources  of  infection, 
including  the  Internet,  floppy 
disks,  email  attachments,  shared 
files,  and  networks.  Backed  by 
Symantec’s  AntiVirus  Research 
Center  (SARC)^'’’,  Norton  AntiVirus 
uses  Bloodhound™  heuristics  — 
earning  Virus  Bulletin’s  100  percent 
rating  for  detection  of  in-the-wild 
viruses,  those  viruses  that  pose 
the  greatest  threat  to  consumers. 

Norton  AntiVirus  never  becomes 
obsolete  because  it  enables  you, 
with  a single  mouse-click,  to  down- 
load new  virus  definitions  created 
by  SARC.  These  updates  are  easy 
to  install  and  work  automatically  in 
the  background.  Norton  AntiVirus 
also  includes  Repair  Wizard™ 
which  removes  viruses  from  your 
computer  automatically.  No  wonder 
a 1997  Hebert  Research  Study 
revealed  that  Norton  AntiVirus  is 
recommended  by  users  more 
frequently  than  any  product  of 
its  kind. 

Clean  your  machine 

You  can  replace  just  about 
everything  in  and  around  your 
computer  — except  your  data. 
Lose  your  data  and  your  only 
alternative  is  to  recreate  it,  some- 
thing that  can  take  entirely  too 
much  time. 


FOR  MORE  INFORMATION  VISIT  US  ON  THE  WEB  AT 


Special  Advertising  Section 


One  of  the  most  effective  ways 
to  ensure  that  your  data  is  safe  is 
to  keep  your  hard  disk  as  free 
as  possible  of  unwanted  fiies 
and  applications. 

When  it  comes  to  removing 
applications  you  no  longer  use, 
however,  you’ll  need  more  than 
your  delete  key.  That's  because  the 
Windows  operating  environment 
scatters  application  files  across 
multiple  directories,  making 
them  tough  to  trace.  What’s  more, 
applications  share  files,  so  if  you 
manuaily  deiete  a file  associated 
with  one  application,  you  might 
make  another  one  unworkable. 

The  solution?  Norton  Uninstall™ 
Deluxe,  which  not  only  deletes 
the  program  files  and  subordinate 
files  of  unwanted  applications  but 
also  removes  references  to  the 
application  in  key  system  files. 

Norton  Uninstall  Deluxe  comes 
with  installGuard™,  so  you  can 
remove  the  last  installation  and 
return  your  system  to  its  original 
state.  This  unique  undo  capability 
means  you  can  “test  drive”  new 
applications.  Meanwhile,  Norton 
Uninstall  Deluxe  SafetyScan  gives 
you  accurate  knowledge  of  your 
system  and  configuration  for  a 
safe  and  complete  Remove,  Move, 
Copy  and  Store  of  all  applications 
and  files.  You  can  remove,  move, 
copy  and  store  by  subfolder  as  well 
as  application  group,  application 
or  fiie  — so  it’s  easy  to  remove 
suite  components  or  data  files 
stored  in  a folder  within  an 
application  group. 

Another  exciusive  Norton 
Uninstall  Deluxe  feature  — 
Autoclean  — makes  it  quick  and 
easy  to  automatically  free  up  space 
on  your  hard  disk  by  removing 
recycle  bin  files,  temp  files,  zero 
byte  files  and  other  unnecessary 
files  each  time  you  boot  up  your 


computer.  And  Norton  Uninstali 
Deluxe  Automatic  Backup 
capability  offers  you  an  extra  safety 
option  by  automaticaliy  saving  a 
compressed  backup  of  every 
removal  made. 

No  more  crashes 

You’ve  probably  noticed  already 
that  as  you  put  more  and  more 
applications  on  your  computer  and 
start  using  them  at 
the  same  time,  every- 
thing hangs.  Maybe 
it’s  just  a simple 
application  lockup.  Or 
maybe  there’s  nothing 
you  can  do  but  turn 
off  your  computer 
and  then  turn  it  back 
on  again  — and  iose 
the  stuff  you  were  working  on. 

Whether  they’re  minor  or  severe, 
computer  crashes  cost  you  time 
and  hassle,  sometimes  worse. 
Crashes  make  using  your  computer 
difficult  and  limit  its  potential. 

Your  adventures  in  computing 
need  not  be  overwhelmed  by 
increasing  system  complexity, 
however.  All  you  have  to  do  is 
install  a crash  prevention  tooi  like 
Norton  CrashGuard™  Deluxe,  which 
monitors  the  workings  of  your 
system  and  alerts  you  to  potential 
conflicts  and  probiems  before 
they  occur. 


Norton  CrashGuard  Deluxe 
automatically  protects  you  against 
computer  crashes  and  screen 
freezes  — three  times  more 
effectively  than  any  other  software. 
Using  award-winning  Norton 
technoiogy,  Norton  CrashGuard 
Deluxe  detects  and  solves  soft- 
ware problems  in  the  background, 
so  neither  you  nor  your  system 
needs  to  slow  down. 

With  Norton 
CrashGuard  Deluxe, 
your  computer  gets 
regular  maintenance 
and  optimized  disk 
performance.  Thanks 
to  LiveUpdate™  Pro, 
Norton  CrashGuard 
Deluxe  can  log  onto 
the  Internet  to  find 
any  software  updates  or  patches 
that  your  system  needs.  All  you 
have  to  do  is  choose  the  ones 
you  want  to  download  and  install. 
Norton  CrashGuard  Deluxe  certifies 
that  they're  virus-free  and  checked 
for  troubie-free  installation  — before 
they’re  downloaded.  If  you  change 
your  mind,  it  can  all  be  undone 
with  Just  the  click  of  your  mouse. 

And  Norton  CrashGuard 
Deluxe  comes  with  more  than  140 
instructional  videos  explaining 
everything  from  cleaning  a CD-ROM 
to  changing  dispiay  settings. 

For  an  enjoyabie,  productive, 
reliable  computing  experience,  aii 
it  takes  are  these  three  easy 
steps  to  no-barrier  computing. 

No  viruses:  Norton  AntiVirus^'’’, 
to  keep  your  computer  safe  from 
virus  infection. 

No  junk:  Norton  Uninstall™ 
Deluxe,  so  your  system  stays 
lean  and  mean. 

No  crashes:  Norton 
CrashGuard™  Deluxe,  to  prevent 
the  crashes  that  create  frustration 
and  eat  up  your  valuable  time. 


For  an  enjoyable, 
productive,  reliable 
computing  experience, 
all  it  takes  are  three 
easy  steps  to  no-barrIer 
computing. 


WWW.SYMANTEC.COM/NCLADS  SYMANTEC. 


With  Norton”  Products  Inside  Your  Computer 
There  Are  No  Barriers  to  Achieving  Your  Goals. 

Down  go  the  barriers.  Up  goes  productivity,  whether  you're  at  home  or  at  the  office.  With  Norton  products  you  walk 
through  the  walls  between  you  and  your  goals.  Norton  products  eradicate  viruses,  blow  away  junk  files,  and  eliminate 
software  problems  before  they  cause  crashes.  All  behind  the  scenes,  automatically.  Go  ahead,  take  the  first  step. 


Antivirus 


Norton  AntiVirus"'' 4.0 

Share  data  without  sharing  viruses. 
Locate  and  kill  known  viruses  from 
any  source  so  you  can  safely  roam 
the  web,  get  email  attachments, 
share  floppies  and  use  network 
files.  It  works  behind  the  scenes 
to  provide  continuous  protection, 
so  you  can  work  with  confidence, 
without  the  hassles  of  chewed-up 
files  and  programs. 


Norton  Uninstall  " Deluxe 

Cut  through  the  clutter  and  be 
more  productive.  Automatically 
clean  up  junk  files  and  programs 
that  drag  down  your  PC's  perfor- 
mance. Maintain  custom  settings 
and  preferences  when  copying 
or  moving  programs.  Tiy  new 
programs  without  performance 
and  software  conflicts.  You’ll  fly 
through  your  tasks  without  old  files 
and  programs  dragging  you  down. 


Norton  CrashGuard^"  Deluxe 

Lead  a crash-free  life.  Automatically 
rid  your  PC  of  crash-causing  soft- 
ware problems;  check  for  conflicts 
and  download  fixes  via  the  Internet; 
and  optimize  your  hard  drive  for 
top  performance.  No  more  lost 
files  or  screen  freezes.  You’ll  enjoy 
more  time  to  do  as  you  please, 
free  from  Irritating  crashes  and 
unproductive  downtime. 


Get  what  you  want  from  your  computer.  Feel  like  you  can  walk  through  walls  with  Norton^*^ 
products.  Visit  your  nearest  retailer  to  buy  these  Windows"  95  products  or  try  them  risk-free 
at  www.symantec.com/promos/nci04.html 


No  Viruses,  No  Junk,  No  Crashes,  No  Barriers. 


SYMANTEC. 


Symantec,  tlie  Symantec  bgo,  and  Norton  AnliVrus  are  U.S,  regisleied  trademarks  of  Symantec  Corporation.  Notion,  Norton  Uninstall,  and  Norton  CmsIiGuard  are  trademarks  of  Symantec 
Corporation.  Windows,  and  the  Windows  logo  are  registered  trademarks  of  Microsoft  Corporation,  All  other  brand  names  or  trademarks  are  the  property  of  tlieir  respective  owners. 
©1998  Symantec  Corporation.  All  rights  reserved.  09-71.00289 


□ QliliiOJaiilQOJCOQQQ 


Space  Bunnies  Must  Die 

Bunnies  and  a Babe  Collide  in  This  Wacky  Shooter 


With  its  plucky  female 
heroine  and  similar 
gameplay  style,  SPACE 
BUNNIES  MUST  DIE  is 
bound  to  be  compared 
to  TOMB  RAIDER.  What  sets  the 
game  apart,  however,  is  its  per- 
sonality; SPACE  BUNNIES  has  a 
tongue-in-cheek  attitude,  a com- 
pletely wacky  premise,  and  a host 
of  kooky  characters.  The  plot  could 
be  straight  out  of  a '50s  B-movie; 
Earth  has  been  overrun  by  giant 
space  rabbits  who  are  enslaving 
humans  and  sewing  together  dif- 
ferent types  of  animals  to  form 
bizarre  mutations.  As  Allison 
Huxter,  a tough-talking  truck-stop 
waitress,  you  must  rescue  your  sis- 
ter Jocelyn  and  save  the  earth 
from  the  malevolent  miscreants. 

The  game  has  10  levels  that 
can  be  played  in  any  order.  Your 
main  task  is  to  blast  bunnies  and 
mutant  animals  while  picking  up 
carrots,  which  are  used  to  power 
transporters  that  can  take  you 
between  levels.  You'll  also  discov- 
er parcels  left  by  your  sister  in 
each  level.  Some  parcels  contain 
outfits  that  provide  proteaive 
power,  Others  contain  CDs,  which 
can  be  used  to  subdue  the  mutant 
animals.  Music  and  dancing  play  a 
huge  part  in  SPACE  BUNNIES  and 
contribute  greatly  to  the  game's 
personality.  Allison  has  a number 
of  different  dance  moves,  which 
she  uses  to  hypnotize  the  bunnies. 
Instead  of  shooting  her,  they  start 
dancing  with  her.  How  long  they 
stay  in  a trance  depends  upon  the 
rabbit's  size  and  strength.  The 
meaner  bunnies  recover  more 
quickly — unless  Allison  shoots 
them  first.  SPACE  BUNNIES'  sound- 
track features  a wide  range  of 


Space  Bunnies  Must  Die 
RELEASE  DATE;  Q3 '98  ' 

DEVELOPER;  Jiru 
PUBLISHER;  Ripcoftl 
STYLE:  Toogue  in-cheek  humor  and 
plenty  of  aclion  in  a fact-paced  3D 
shooter. 


artists  and  songs,  includir 
Loretta  Lynn's  "These  Bo( 
Made  for  Walking" 
and  Buddy  Holly's 
"Rave  On." 

SPACE  BUNNIES 
MUST  DIE  is  less  about 
exploration  and  prob- 
lem-solving than  TOMB 
RAIDER,  and  more 
about  simply  blowing 
the  brains  out  of  those 
brutish,  belligerent 
bunnies.  What  promises  t 
it  above  other  typical  she 
is  its  distinct  personality ; 
attitude.  Look  for  Ripcord 
have  it  on  store  shelves  ii 
August.  — Charlotte  Pam 


Tonic  Trouble 

Can  UbiSoft  Do  MARIO  on  the  PC? 


Tonic  Trouble 


RELEASE  DATE:  Q3 '98  ' i 

DEVELOPER/  PUBLISHER: 

UbiSoft 


STYLE:  A 3D  platformer  with  a 
Mario  644iltg  fooL  aivf  gameplay. . 


puzzles  and 
exotic  bad  guys. 

No  thanks  to 

you,  the  vegetables  of  Earth  have  become  animated, 
slavering  monsters,  while  the  planet's  environment — 
water,  hills,  and  plains — has  been  turned  into  a multi- 
colored, cartoonscape. 

The  game  is  vast,  with  tons  of  locations,  both 
indoors  and  outdoors,  all  beautifully  rendered.  The 
graphics  are  gorgeous  and  bright,  and  the  sound  is 
likewise  impressive,  complete  with  full  support  for  3D 
positional  audio. 

Despite  its  looks,  the  game  could  put  off  PC  gamers 
who  have  traditionally  sneered  at  the  MARIO-style 
gameplay.  Rest  assured  that  TONIC  TROUBLE  will  have 
gameplay  as  deep  and  challenging  as  the  graphics  are 
beautiful  and  weird.  UbiSoft  is  planning  an  August  or 
September  release  date.  — Elliott  Chin 


UbiSoft  isn't  too  well-known  in  the  United 
States,  but  in  Europe,  it  has  made  quite  a 
name  for  itself  with  RAYMAN.  That  game  was 
a side-scrolling  platformer  that  looked  cute 
but  was  crammed  with  challenging  gameplay. 
Since  then,  UbiSoft  has  been  hard  at  work  on  a 3D 
platformer  that  would  take  RAYMAN-style  gameplay 
to  a whole  new  level,  on  a par  with  Nintendo's  own 
MARIO  64.  The  result  is  a game  titled  TONIC  TROUBLE. 
If  the  name  sounds 
confusing,  don't 
worry.  The  game- 
play will  be  familiar 
to  all  gamers  who 
love  classic 
plaftormerfun. 

TONIC  TROUBLE 
follows  the  exploits 
of  Ed,  a space 
being  who  has 
been  sent  to  Earth 
to  clean  up  what  is  essentially  a 
"cosmic  oil  spill."  You  dropped  a 
can  of  space  tonic  that  has  altered 
all  Earth  life  into  a weird  cartoon- 
like world,  and  your  punishment  is 
to  find  that  tonic  and  set  things 
right.  Just  as  in  MARIO  64,  you'll 
explore  bright,  colorful  environ- 
ments and  encounter  numerous 


v.compuletgjming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998  M 


The  most  anticipated  RPG  of  the  year. 


In  the  FORGOTTEN  REALA^®,  we've  lived  through  foul  pestilence, 
vicious  battles,  exorbitant  taxes,  and  even  the  occasional  dragon.  But 
when  HE  showed  up,  things  really  started  getting  ugly. 

Prepare  to  be  immersed  into  a world  of  intrigue  and  mystery  on  a 
perilous  quest  to  rescue  a storied  land  from  impending  war.  Even  your 
own  soul  is  at  stake  as  you  and  a party  of  adventurers  become  entangled  in 
a dangerous  riddle  of  betrayed  alliances,  dark  prophecies  and  murder. 

Will  you  become  the  unlikely  hero  of  the  story,  or  merely  another  of  its 
unfortunate  asualtics?  Before  you  answer,  the  big  guy  here  might  have 
something  to  say  about  it. 

R^lore  an  immense,  intricate  game  world  ' from  cloud-covered 
mountains  & rain  drenched  plains  to  dark  catacombs  & abandoned 
T ■'  temples  - all  meticulously  rendered  in  lush,  le-bit  SVGA  graphics. 

Invoke  more  than  too  spells  - Freeze  enemies  with  an  icy  blast 
from  a Cone  of  Cold,  or  incinerate  them  with  a searing  stream  of 
W"  " magical  flame. 

Push  your  leadership  skills  to  the  limit  as  you  guide  a party  of  up 
to  six  characters,  each  with  a personality  that  affects  garaeplay. 

' Don't  let  your  stubborn  fighter  pummel  the  arrogant  thief  - you 
may  need  their  teamwork  in  your  next  battle. 


Create  your  character  from  six  AD&D®  races  and  26  different 
classes  and  subclasses.  You  control  every  attribute,  down  to  skin 
and  hair  color,  weapons,  and  armor  - all  accurately  depicted  on-screen. 


aLbuRS 


Coming 


O 


TSRJncMasubsidisiyoIVVIzBrdsoftheCoasiJrw.,  and  are  used  by  Inieiplay  under  license  Jnterplay,  the  Interplay  k^o  and ‘‘By  Gamers,  For  Gamers.' are  irademarkt  of  1nt8ipl«yProduetto(«.MrH)hUfew^  * 

logo  Is  the  trademark  of  BloWare  Cotp,  All  rights  reserved.  Exclusively  licensed  and  distributed  by  Interplay  Productions.  All  olher  copyrighla  and  trademarha  are  trie  properiy  ot  their  respective  owners. 


Go  to  #163  @ www.computergaming.com/InfoliiiK 


Starship  Troopers 

Unlike  the  Movie,  This  Ain't  Melrose  Space 


The  swarms  of  huge,  deadly 
bugs  were  the  best  part  of 
last  year's  otherwise-forget- 
table Starship  Troopers  film, 
and  the  good  news  is  that 
they're  the  main  element 
MicroProse  has  borrowed  for  its 
game  of  the  same  name.  STARSHIP 
TROOPERS  has  the  Hollywood  aliens, 
but  the  rest  of  the  game  takes  its 
inspiration  more  from  the  original, 
classic  novel  by  Robert  A.  Heinlein. 

Omikron 

A Huge  Adventure  Unfolds 
in  a Dark  Future 

Although  Eidos'  TOMB 
RAIDER  III  is  the  game  to 
beat,  the  company  has 
another  third-person 
action-adventure  that  could 
slip  ahead  of  the  pack  and  win 
itself  a lot  of  attention.  The  game 
is  called  OMIKRON,  and  it’s  a game 
that  promises  to  be  very  different  from  Lara  Croft's  adventure. 

OMIKRON  is  set  in  the  far  future;  you  play  a cop  with  sweet  fighting 
moves  and  some  power-packed  weaponry,  Although  there  is  plenty  to 
kill  (and  many  enemies  with  which  to  spar  in  TEKKEN-style  battles),  this 
game's  hallmark  is  its  extensive  dialogue  and  character  interaction.  As  a 
cop  in  this  future  world,  you  have  to  track  down  and  talk  to  witnesses, 
meet  various  people,  and  explore  sprawling  cities. 

The  graphic  for  this  game  are  very  nice,  and  the  characters  look 
much  better  than  characters  in  TOMB  RAIDER,  The  environments  are 
much  more  alive,  with  street  signs,  pedestrians,  and  indoor  areas,  such  as 
supermarkets  and  bars,  populated  with  objects  and  people.  The  charac- 
ters are  very  impressive,  with  lips  that  will  sync  up  with  dialogue. 

The  music  for  this  game  also  caught  our  ears — a thumping,  techno 
soundtrack  that  fit  well  with  the  Blade  Runner-Wke  universe. 

Eidos  has  plenty  of  surprises  in  store  for  this  game,  the  biggest  one 
being  that  when  you  die,  the  game  doesn't  end.  You  don't  play  a person 
so  much  as  you  play  a soul,  and 
when  its  body  is  destroyed, 
your  soul  finds  another  to 
inhabit.  Reincarnation  is  a big 
part  of  this  game,  so  be  careful 
whom  you  meet.  You  could  end 
up  becoming  the  last  person 
you  touched.  OMIKRON  isn't  an 
imminent  release;  when 
pressed,  the  best  release  date 
Eidos  could  commit  to  was 
early  1 999.  — Elliott  Chin 


Omikron 
. RELEASE  DATE:  Qr99 
DEVELOPER/  PUBLISHER:  Eidos 
STYLE:  A mix  of  classic  adventure— 
lote  of  NPCs,  dialogue,  and  a strong 
plot—and  shooting/fighting  actiori. 


The  biggest  difference  from  the 
film  is  that  here,  you'll  face  the  bugs 
from  the  (relative)  safety  of  an 
armored  powersuit.  You'll  battle  in 
open  terrain,  in  cities,  and  in  under- 
ground tunnels.  You'll  never  kill 
them  all,  so  concentrate  on  com- 
pleting your  objectives  and  getting 
out  alive.  Changes  are  persistent,  so 
when  you  come  back  to  an  area 
where  you've  been  in  battle,  you'll 
still  find  carcasses  everywhere. 


You'll  start  as  a grunt  who  mere- 
ly follows  orders,  and  if  you  perform 
well  you'll  be  offered  promotions.  If 
you  just  want  to  shoot  stuff,  you 
can  turn  them  down,  but  otherwise 
you  can  advance  through  the  ranks 
to  the  point  where  you'll  be  decid- 
ing to  which  planets  you'll  send 
dropships.  (But  like  a good  space 
marine,  you'il  still  accompany  your 
troops  to  the  surface.)  The  game 


Stai^hip  Troopers 
RELEASE  DATE:  Q4  '98  ; 

DEVELOPER/ PUBUSHER:  ^ 

MkfoPtose  |.i 

STYLE:  An  action-intensive,  space  ' 
combat  game  that  follows  the  Heinlen 
novel  of  the  same  name.  x. 


includes  research  trees,  which 
enable  you  to  beef  up  your  power- 
suit's  weaponry  and  jump  jets. 

You'll  also  get  the  chance  to  obtain 
some  alien  technologies. 

There  are  three  types  of  suits; 
scout,  assault,  and  command. 
STARSHIP  TROOPERS  will  sport  96  dif- 
ferent weapons,  many  of  which  are 
drawn  from  the  book.  Look  for  a 
variety  of  different  planetary 
locales,  weather  effects,  and  night 
missions.  — Denny  Atkin 


Dark  Vengeance 

Role-playing  and  Intense  Action  Meet 


Two  years  ago.  Reality  Bytes 
showed  me  DARK  VENGEANCE, 
a third-person  action  game 
set  in  a fantasy  world.  It 
boasted  a 3D-accelerated 
engine  and  10  playable  characters. 

After  that  one  meeting,  I never  saw 
the  game  again.  It  was  as  if  it  had 
never  existed.  But  now,  GT  Interactive  has  resurrected  it,  meaning  this 
TOMB  RAIDER-style  dungeon  romp  will  finally  see  the  light  of  day. 

In  the  game's  fantasy  world,  dark  elves  have  blocked  out  the  sun  and 
started  a hostile  takeover  under  the  protection  of  this  magical  eclipse. 

You  have  to  destroy  the  dark  elves,  and  the  monsters  they've  unleashed, 
and  restore  the  sun's  brilliance. 

DARK  VENGEANCE  has  some  role-playing  elements.  You'll  choose  from 
three  player  characters  and  journey  through  infested  hallways  and  dun- 
geons. Each  character  has  a different  skill  set,  including  exclusive  spells 
and  weapons.  The  game  will  have  1 8 missions,  plus  a unique  starting 
level  for  each  character  class.  Monsters  will  include  undead,  demons,  ani- 
mated statues,  and  dark  elves. 


Dark  Vengeance 
■'release  DATE:  Q4  '98  ~ 

DEVELOPER:  Reality  Bytes 
PUBLISHER:  GT  biteractive 
STYLE:  An  RPG-style  dungeon  romp 
! with  spectacular  spells,  weapon^  and 
' fantastic  monsters. 


DARK  VENGEANCE  promises  to 
look  great,  with  colored  lights,  shad- 
ows, translucency,  and  particle 
effects.  Weapons  and  spells  also  cre- 
ate incredible  effects.  The  final  ver- 
sion should  have  32-player  death- 
match  and  team  play.  — Elliott  Chin 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1996 


u.computergaming.f 


mmmmmmmmmmQm 


Messiah 


Angelic  Gameplay  and  a Devilishly  Sophisticated  Engine 


high  frame-rate.  If  a scene  gets 
complicated,  with  huge  explosions 
and  enemies  onscreen,  the  game 
will  simply  subtract  polygons  from 
peripheral  areas  (like  from  a char- 
acter on  the  edge  of  your  vision 
rather  than  from  the  explosion  in 
the  middle  of  the  screen)  to  main- 
tain the  high  frame-rate.  If  your 
machine  can  handle  more  poly- 
gons, the  game  will  add  as  many 
as  you  can  take  to  increase  the 
quality  of  the  graphics. 

Look  for  Messiah's  amazing 
gameplay  and  engine  sometime 
this  winter.  — Elliott  Chin 


Satan's  influence  in 
the  world  is  getting 
stronger,  so  God  has 
sent  you  to  defeat 
the  Devil.  The  only 
problem  is,  you  are 
a baby  angel,  with 
weak  powers.  So, 


to  fight  a legion  of  bad  guys. 

The  technology  behind  the 
game  is  called  RT-DAT  (Real-Time 
Deformation  and  Tesselation). 
Deformation  simply  refers  to  the 
skeletal  animation  system  of  the 
game,  whereby  creatures  are  com- 
posed of  skeletons,  with  muscles 
and  skins  wrapped  around  the 
bones.  The  result  is  more  realistic 
characters,  with  the  skin  moving 
to  simulate  rippling  cloth  or  the 
rising  of  a 
chest  as  a 
character 
breathes. 
Tesselation 
basically 
means  the 


game  gener- 
ates only 
the  polygons 
you  need  to 
maintain  a 


Shiny  has  always  been 
known  for  creating  outra- 
geous entertainment,  so  it's 
no  surprise  that  MESSIAH 
has  stirred  up  controversy. 
What  has  some  people  in  an 
uproar  is  that  you  play  an  angel. 


you  can't  fight  monsters  directly. 
Instead,  you  must  possess  various 
creatures  and  fight  through  them. 

The  game's  two  biggest  fea- 
tures are  the  possession  gameplay 
and  the  revolutionary  engine.  The 
gameplay  is  unique  in  that  you 
have  to  possess  enemies  to 
overcome  obstacles.  You 
might  take  over  a cop  to 
bypass  a security  gate,  or 
possess  a powerful  monster 


Messiah 
rSELEASE 
j DEVELOPER  Shiny 
j PUBUSHER:  Interplay  . : . 
j STYLE'Ashcwterinwliidiyouptaya 
I chu%,  baby  angd  who  fights  by  pos- 
; sessingand  conht^ing  otfiwjreatura 


King's  Quest:  Mask  of  Eternity 

Sierra  Revamps  a Classic  Adventure  Series  Into  3D  Action 


King's  Quest: 

Mask  of  Eternity 

rRELEA5EDATE:Q4'g8 
j DEVELOPER/PUBUSHER:  Sierra 
’ STYLE:  A classic  King's  QUEST  story 
^ with  3D  acdon  and  puzzle-soluing. 


Koberta  Williams'  classic 
KING'S  QUEST  series  set  the 
standard  for  animated  2D 
fantasy  adventures  over 
the  past  decade,  offering 
traditional  adventure  gamers  an 
always  entertaining  mix  of  story- 
telling and  brain-twisting  puzzles. 
Now  Sierra  is  going  out  on  a limb 
by  taking  the  series  into  a new 
(and  more  profitable)  direction;  3D 
action-adventure.  Apparently  frus- 
trated with  the  shrinking  adven- 
ture game  market — and  anxious 
to  explore  new  technologies — 
Williams  is  forsaking  the  series' 


long-standing  puzzle- 
only  gameplay  and 
incorporating  some  3D 
combat  into  the  mix. 

The  story,  penned  by 
Williams  herself,  is  firm- 
ly grounded  in  the  lore 
of  the  KING'S  QUEST 
series.  Set  once  again  in 
the  kingdom  of 
Daventry,  MASK  OF 
ETERNITY  follows  the 
adventures  of  Connor 
Mac  Lyrr,  a young  peas- 
ant who  must  search 
the  land  to  discover  the 
five  pieces  of  an  ancient  mask. 
This  mask  apparently  is  the  key  to 
reversing  a magical  storm  that 
has  turned  the  inhabitants  of  the 
kingdom  into  stone. 

The  game's  engine  (based  on 
the  STARSIEGE  ThreeSpace3D 
engine)  allows  you  to  switch 


between  first-  and  third-person 
perspectives  as  you  roam  the 
land.  The  outdoor  environments, 
when  we  last  viewed  the  game. 


were  gorgeous,  and  the  mix 
between  action  and  adventure 
looked  stronger,  and  more  feasi- 
ble, than  we  first  imagined. 

A foolhardy  departure  or  a bold 
new  direction?  We've  been  argu- 
ing for  months,  but  this  fail  we'll 
have  our  answer.  — Jeff  Green 


y.computefgaming.com 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


ou  will  find  a place  of  an^er,  vengcniico  and  Lrutality. 


@ 1998  Biodcrtiund  Soltware,  Inc.  All  rights  foscn/cd.  Wariords  is  a Iradcmatk  ol  SSG.  Reign  ol  Heroes.  Darklords  Rising  and  Red  Orb  Eniorlainntcni  arc  iradetnarks  ol  Broderbund  Soflwarc.  Inc. 


A pall  of  unspenkalilL'  evil,  merciless  slaiigkler 
and  ualn'itllecl  tleslrucLion  lias  fallen  across  llie 
Realm  of  Etlieria.  I lie  servanLs  of  evil,  llie 
Darklords,  spread 
like  a contagion 
across  tlie  land. 

Will  you  ke  aide  Lo 
stop  tkeir  imlioly 
juggernauL? 

Welcome  to 
Darklords  Rising, 
tlie  greatly  anticipated  sequel  Lo  Warlords  III:  Reign  of 
Heroes,  1997’s  turn-kased  strategy  game  of  ike  year. 

Discover  tke  kigger,  deeper,  darker  universe  ol 
Darklords  Rising: 

• 4 entirely  new  campaigns  and  15  new  scenarios 

• 30  new  army  types  lor  a total  of  1 1.2 

• 5 new  unit|uely  skilled  lieroes  for  a total  of  15 

• 9 new  multiplayer  games  including  Capture 
tke  l-lag,  Eortress  and  Nortk  vs.  Stiutk 

• More  ckallenging,  adaptakle  and  aggressive  Al 

• Eully  functional  map,  item  and  campaign  editor 

• Bonus:  Includes  original  campaign  and  scenarios 
from  WuUs  III:  Reign  of  Heroes 

In  sliort,  nu>re  adventure,  deeper  gameplay 
and  fewer  ckances  for  survival. 


La(?iRLORDSl11 

OARKL0ROS 
RISinG 


f Siicetymt 

» fjsS.  ill 

■iifc 

if'.H 

« A 4 . 

# > A * 

w 

COMSmC  SOON! 


visit  cur  website  at  www.vie.ccin 

Go  to  #251  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 

>,  Ltd.  Microsoft,  Windows  and  the  Windows  Logo  are  registered  trademarks  of  Microsoft  Corporation.  Virgin  Interactive  Enlertalnmenl,  Inc.,  18061  Fitch  Avenue.  Irvine  CA  92614  U.S.A. 


Its  Tm  to  Siot 


From  the  Oawii  cf  Man  cfomes  the  Oawn  cf  War  . . . 


Enter  a primitive  world  where  gcu  must  lead  cne  cf  three  species  - Crc-IVIagncn. 
Saurian,  cr  neanderthal  — in  a fight  for  survival,  frctect  gcur  species  against  the 
hQstite  forces  cf  extinctfen  as  pai  gather  .aitd  nianage  rescurces.  increase  and  diversify 
your  tribe,  and  wage  war  agaii(iifl  |ipj;@^ss  enMies.  Master  new  technclcgies  and 


iNTERacti ve 


SBiJBilBBBBIiSB 


LAPD  2100  AD 

Los  Angelinas  Need  You  to  Clean  Up  the  Streets 


The  games  in  this  roundup 
run  the  gamut  from  dia- 
logue-heavy adventure  to 
straight-up  arcade  action. 
Electronic  Arts'  game  LAPD 
21 00  AD  epitomizes  the  latter 
style  of  gameplay.  It’s  an  arcade- 
style  shooter  set  in  a futuristic  Los 
Angeles,  in  which  gangs  have 
taken  over  the  city. 

Since  this  game  is  all  about 
action,  your  vehicle  is  a heavy- 
duty  destructive  machine,  You  ride 
about  in  an  experimental  vehicle 
that  can  transform  between  a 
speedy  hovercraft  and  a nimble 
mech.  Many  of  the  game's  levels 


LAPD  2100  AD 
; RELEASE  DATE: Q1  '99  • j 

; DEVELOPER/ PUBLISHER: 

; Electronic  Arts 

; STYLE:  An  arod^BBterse^ 
llituristic  LA. 


will  be  designed  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  strengths  of  the  two 
different  forms.  There  will  be  some 
cramped  and  densely  populated 
levels  full  of  enemies — ideal  for 
the  maneuverable  and  powerful 
mech.  There  will  also  be  freeway 
chases  and  some  expansive  areas 
that  will  require  the  use  of  the 
fast  hovercraft. 

There  is  no  huge  story  to  the 
game.  Instead,  your  job  is  simply 
to  clear  all  the  levels  of  any  gang 


presence.  Along  the  way,  there  will 
also  be  speeding  tickets  to  issue, 
carjackings  to  stop,  and  robberies 
to  respond  to — all  in  a day's  work 
for  an  L.A.  cop. 

As  befits  an  arcade  shooter.  EA 
promises  plenty  of  weapons, 
power-ups,  and  special  effects.  The 
look  of  the  game  will  be  more 


top-down  than  over-the-shoulder. 
While  this  view  provides  a better 
view  of  your  surroundings,  it  could 
be  uncomfortable  for  TOMB 
RAIDER  fans.  There  is  still  plenty  to 
add  to  the  game,  including  coop- 
erative and  competitive  multiplay, 
so  don't  expect  to  see  this  game 
until  1 999.  — Elliott  Chin 


What's  Come  Before:  A Look  at  the  Third-person 
Action/adventure  Games  of  the  Past  Year 

If  you're  a TOMB  RAIDER  fan  and  can't  wait  for  the  games  in  this  roundup, 
check  out  the  following  third-person  action-adventures  we've  reviewed. 


1 Game 

Rating 

Issue 

Worth  nlavina? 

Comments 

CROC 

April  '98 

Yes 

A cute  MARIO  64  clone. 

DIE  BY  THE  SWORD 

3.5 

August  '98 

Maybe 

Realistic  swordfighting,  but  tough  to  learn. 

ECSTATICA  II 

4 

August  '97 

Yes 

A good,  tough  action-adventure  with  ellipsoid  characters 
and  a large  world. 

EXCALIBUR  2555  AD 

1 

March  '98 

No 

A terrible,  boring  game.  Worst  of  the  TOMB  RAIDER  clones. 

MEAT  PUPPET 

4 

October  '97 

Maybe 

Macabre  humor  and  bad  controls.  More  like  CRUSADER  than 
TOMB  RAIDER.  Not  as  good  as  its  rating  suggests. 

MEN  IN  BLACK 

2 

March  '98 

No 

A lame  adaptation  of  the  movie,  it  has  little  gameplay. 

NIGHTMARE  CREATURES 

4 

April  '98 

Yes 

An  action  game  with  a horror  theme,  including  zombies 
and  werewolves. 

RESIDENT  EVIL 

2.5 

January '98 

No 

A gory  PlayStation  port  with  some  good  and  bad  moments. 

TWINSEN'S  ODDYSEY 

5 

November  '97 

Yes 

An  action/adventure  hybrid  with  personality,  a great  story, 
and  some  MARIO  64-like  gameplay. 

LEGACY  OF  KAIN 

2.5 

December  '97 

No 

A poor  PlayStation  port  with  mediocre  gameplay  and 
a lame  save  feature. 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


/.computergdming.c 


Available  this  August 

WWW.THQ.CDM 

WWW.BASSMASTER.CDM 


Go  to  #107  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


WINDOWS' 

■95' 


Keal  Combat 
Plastic  Men. 


Take  an«j  one  of  six  classic  army 
men  figures  into  combat  in  this 
squad  level  action-strategg  game. 


Melt  attacking  infantrg  with  gour 
flamethrower  or  shatter  enemg 
vehicles  with  gour  bazooka  and  tank. 


“I  love  the  smell 
of  burnt  plastic 
in  the  morning” 


Break  ijour  troops  out  of  a heavily 
guarded  POW  camp  In  one  of 
over  30  action-packed  missions. 


Hake  your  way  through  alpine^  desert 
and  bayou  terrains  or  play  against  your 
friends  on  special  multiplayer  maps. 


It?  1996  The  300  Company.  All  rights  reserved.  Army  Men  is  a Irndomaik  ol  Tlie  300  Company.  All  oilier  trademarks 


WWW.armyinen.com 


I properties  ot  their  respective ' 


Go  to  #112  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


could  only  dream  about  a few  years 
ago,  and  the  growing  Importance  of  multiplayer 
play,  today's  Jet  sims  are  breaking  new  ground  in 
sophistication  and  features.  Doing  my  best  to 
re-create  Clint  Eastwoc»d's  role  In  Firefox,  1 went 
behind  the  scenes  to  sneak  Into  the  cockpits  of 
four  advanced  jet  fighter  sims  to  bring  back  the 
first  hands-on  reports  on  this  new  generation  of 
sims.  Following  these  reports  you'il  find  intelli- 
gence on  a number  of  other  jet  and  helicopter  sims 
in  development.  If  flying  fast  and  low  is  your  forte, 
strap  in  and  get  ready  for  high-mach  action. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD 


AUGUST  1998 


F-1 6 VS.  MIG'29  GRAPHIC  COURTESY  NOVALOGIC 
wvw  cofnputergaming.com 


World  Air  Power:  Israeli  Air  Force 

Jane's  Goes  to  the  Experts  for  Its  Next-Generation  Jet  Sim 

I hen  it  comes  to  training,  equipment,  and 
actuai  combat  experience,  it  can  easily 
be  argued  that  the  Israeli  Air  Force  is  one 
of  the  most  advanced  and  most  combat- 
ready  air  arms  in  the  world.  So  there  are 
few  better  services  to  focus  on  for  a simula- 
tion of  air  warfare  from  the  early  1 970s  to  the 
present.  There's  one  big  snag,  however:  The 
lAF  is  also  one  of  the  most  secretive  forces  in 
the  free  world.  So 


The  historical  campaigns  focus 
on  the  Six  Day  War,  the  1 967  bat- 
tle that  Israel  won  with  a carefully 
orchestrated  mass  airfield  strike 
that  destroyed  350  enemy  aircraft 
in  about  three  hours;  the  1 973 
Yom  KippurWar;  and  the  1982 
Lebanon  War,  in  which  Israel  bat- 
tled Syrian  fighters  as  it  attacked 


how  do  you  cre- 
ate an  authentic 
game  based  on 
lAF  operations? 
Go  straight  to 
the  source. 


Pixel  Interactive  is  an  Israel- 
based  software  company  that 
brings  something  to  the  table  that 
makes  it  unique:  On  its  staff  are 
no  fewer  than  nine  active-duty  lAF 
reserve  pilots.  Working  with  Paul 
Grace  and  his  team  at  the 
California  offices  of  Jane's  Combat 
Simulations,  Pixel  is  creating 
WORLD  AIR  POWER:  ISRAELI  AIR 
FORCE  (lAF),  a simulation  that 
aims  to  combine  a wealth  of 
unclassified  operational  knowl- 
edge with  the  kind  of  accessibility 
that  has  characterized  the  U.S. 
NAVY  FIGHTERS  (USNF)  series. 


WORLD  AIR  POWER: 
ISRAELI  AIR  FORCE 


RELEASE  DATE:  Q3  '98 
DEVELOPER;  Pixel  Interactive 
PUBLISHER;  Jane's  Combat 
Simulations 


DESERT  EAGLE  The  terrain  in  lAF  is  at  its  best  u^en 
viewed  from  high  altitude,  but  on  many  missions  you'll 
want  to  be  down  near  the  deck  using  terrain  for  cover. 


SEEING  A MIRAGE  The 
Dassault  Mirage  figures 
prominently  in  the  sim's  his- 
torical campaigns. 


The  Past  and 
the  Future 

lAF's  basic  setup 
will  look  familiar  to 
any  gamer  who  has 
played  the  series  that 
started  with  USNF  and 
wrapped  last  year 
with  FIGHTERS 
ANTHOLOGY.  Though 
the  mission  and  multi- 
player structure  is  very  similar  to 
that  series,  this  game  Is  based  on 
an  entirety  new  engine 

The  game  features  three  seven- 
mission  historical  campaigns,  as 
well  as  a 21-mission  hypothetical 
near-future  campaign  in  which 
you'll  fight  on  three  fronts,  The  mis- 
sions are  prescripted,  not  dynamic, 
but  are  structured  in  such  a way 
that  they  offer  much  more  variety 
than  those  in  USNF  and  its  sequels. 


FOX  TWO  Firing  at  an  enemy  plane  from 
an  F-15;  the  multifunction  displays  in  lAF 
all  have  functional  buttons. 


Lebanese  installations  over  its 
northern  border.  The  future  cam- 
paign postulates  another  war  with 
Iraq.  This  time,  however,  Syria  gets 
involved,  and  Israel  ends  up  fight- 
ing on  both  Lebanese  and  Syrian 
fronts,  while  simultaneously  trying 
to  push  back  an  Iraqi  invasion  of 
Jordan  before  enemy  troops  reach 
Israeli  borders, 

Each  mission  may  have  up  to 
four  allied  flights  carrying  out 


various  tasks.  A SEAD 
{Suppression  of  Enemy  Air 
Defenses)  mission  may  be  fol- 
lowed by  a fighter  sweep,  then  by 
an  air-to-ground  strike  package, 
and  finally  by  a reconnaissance 
flight.  You  can  fly  any  or  all  of 
these.  Once  you  complete  a mis- 
sion phase  in  a particular  flight — 
or  if  you're 
forced  to 
eject— you  can 
jump  back  to 
the  tactical  dis- 
play and  choose 
another  flight. 
Alternatively, 
you  can  click  the 
Visit  icon  and 
watch  the  com- 
puter pilots  do 
their  thing. 
Time-on-target 
becomes  an 
important  factor 
in  lAF — if  the 
Wild  Weasel 
flight  doesn't  arrive  in  time,  the 
strike  flight  may  face  a wall  of  sur- 
face-to-air missiles. 

You  can  alter  the  loadouts  of  all 
the  aircraft  on  the  mission,  but 
you  won't  be  able  to  alter  their 
waypoints.  EA's  Paul  Grace  points 
out  that  real  lAF  pilots  aren't 
given  the  opportunity  to  change 
their  mission  waypoints  either. 

If  you  enjoy  micromanaging  a 
sim's  strategic  elements,  this  isn't 
the  game  for  you.  The  detailed  mis- 
sion creator  is  the  one  major  fea- 
ture from  the  USNF  series  that 
doesn't  make  an  appearance  here. 

In  addition  to  the  campaigns,  you'll 
find  scramble  missions,  in  which 
you're  vectored  to  unknown 
threats;  detailed  training  missions; 
and  a quick  mission  creator,  in 
which  you  specify  up  to  three  allied 
and  enemy  flights  (and  an  optional 
ground  target).  All  campaigns  and 
quick  missions  can  be  flowed  in 
multiplayer  mode  over  a network 
or  the  Internet. 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


A 


WORLD  AIR  POWER:  ISRAELI  AIR  FORCE 


A Team  With 
Unique  Experience 

While  many  companies  have  used  fighter  pilots  as  consul- 
tants or  even  designers,  few  have  as  many  experienced 
fighter  pilots  actively  involved  in  all  aspects  of  creating 
the  simulation.  We  talked  to  Ramy  W.  (name  withheld  for  security 
reasons),  CEO  of  Pixel;  Aviv  Yam  Shahor,  content  expert;  and  David 
Zerah  and  Yael  Amir,  executive  producers  of  lAF,  to  get  some  back- 
ground on  the  game's  design. 

CGW:  I understand  a number  of  team  members  are 
active*duty  or  veteran  lAF  pilots.  Can  you  describe  the 
backgrounds  of  the  team  members?  Also,  which  air- 
craft have  the  team  members  flown? 

W.;  Unlike  other  air  forces,  in  the  Israeli  Air  Force,  when  you 
become  a reserve  pilot  you  continue  flying  in  your  regular 
squadron,  among  the  "active  duties,"  as  long  as  you  can  keep  kick- 
ing their  butts.  There  are  currently  nine  active  lAF  reserve  pilots  in 
Pixel.  We  have  three  F-15  pilots,  three  F-16  pilots,  two  Cobra  pilots 
and  an  Apache  pilot  Among  us  “Pixel  pilots,"  we've  flown  all  the  lAF 
game-controllable  jets,  including  the  MiG-29  and  the  MiG-23.  Once  a 
week,  each  one  of  us  goes  to  the  squadron  and  gets  some  training 
or  real  operational  missions  duties.  I am  sure  that  I can  safely  say 
that  Pixel  scores  the  highest  number  of  active  jet  fighter  hours 
among  the  game  companies  in  tiie  world.  (Not  to  mention  MiG  and 
SAM  kills....) 

Amir  The  pilots  are  the  leaders  and  key  players  in  the  creative 
teams,  in  charge  of  the  missions,  flight  tactics,  and  the  flight  avion- 
ics. One  is  fully  devoted  to  working  with  the  aerodynamic  engineer 
on  the  flight  models  and  flight  envelopes,  and  two  are  members  of 
the  simulation  programming  team. 

The  Israeli  Air  Force  is  CHte  of  the  more  seocthre  in 
the  free  worfd.  Have  you  had  to  get  lAF  dearance  for 
anything  thaVs  going  into  the  game? 

W.:  This  is  very  true  about  the  lAF,  and  we,  being  a part  of  that 
service  for  so  long,  completely  understand  and  think  that  this  is  the 
way  it  must  be.  That  is  why  we  invited  security  officers  from  lAF 
Intelligence  over  to  Pixel  from  the  beginning — in  order  to  show 
them  the  game.  We  had  to  give  up  on  a few  of  the  features  that  we 
had  planned,  but  in  return  we  were  allowed,  for  the  first  time,  to 
expose  some  historical  missions  and  combat  tactics,  as  well  as 
squadron  signs  and  colors  and  front-line  Israeli  weapon  systems. 

What  does  Pixehs  expertise  bring  to  the  table  that 
makes  lAF  unique? 

W.:  I think  that,  above  all.  It's  this  combination  of  cutting-edge 
technologies  with  this  big  team  of  active-duty  pilots.  The  best 
example  of  this  combination  happened  during  the  last  alert  peri- 
od, when  things  were  heating  up  in  the  Gulf  and  we  were  all 
called  back  to  our  squadrons  (I  had  to  cut  a visit  to  EA).  Not  know- 
ing how  long  it  would  take,  we  took  our  computers  with  us,  and 
after  a week  of  "patrolling  and  waiting,”  we  came  back  to  Pixel 
with  some  of  the  best  mission  designs! 

Zerah;  I think  that  for  all  the  team,  and  the  pilots  in  particular,  this 
game  is  very  special.  You  have  to  know  that  the  lAF  has  been  our 
home  and  family  for  7 to  12  years  (depending  on  die  pilot)  and,  in 
many  ways,  still  is.  For  us  this  game  is  our  self-portrait  and  we  have  a 
lot  of  heart  and  pride  of  what  h represents.  It's  us,  you  know? 


Plane  Jane's 

Flyable  aircraft  in  the  sim 
include  the  Mirage,  Kfir  C-7  (an 
Israeli-built  design  based  on  the 
Mirage),  the  F-4E  Phantom,  the  F-4 
2000  (a  Phantom  updated  with 
modern  avionics,  the  F-1 5 Eagle,  F- 
16  Falcon,  and  the  Lavi  (an  experi- 
mental Israeli  design  based  loosely 
on  the  F-16).  In  network  combat, 
you  can  also  fly  the  MiG-23  and 
MiG-29,  Many  of  the  planes  incor- 


porate Israeli  enhancements.  The  F- 
16,  for  instance,  has  the  enhanced 
avionics  package  mounted  on  its 
spine.  Flight  models  were  still 
being  tuned  in  the  version  I flew, 
and  they  didn't  have  the  ultrafi- 
delity of  JANE'S  F-1 5,  but  they  were 
much  more  authentic  than  the 
USNF  series,  (See  the  "A  Team  With 
Unique  Experience"  sidebar  for 
more  details.) 

Each  plane  features  a full  cock- 
pit modeled  after  the  real  plane. 
Avionics  are  somewhat  simplified, 
although  there  are  multiple  air-to- 
air  and  air-to-ground  modes. 
According  to  Pixel's  Aviv  Yam 
Shahor,  the  goal  was  to  provide 
realistic  capabilities  without 
requiring  the  gamer  to  study  the 
manual  for  days  before  flying.  "All 
the  jets  carry  the  same  radar 
interface  and  symbology.  In  fact, 
where  we  can,  the  keys  are  even 
the  same.  But  not  all  modes  are 
available  on  all  jets,  and  radar 


SAY  LAVI  You'll  get  a chance  to  pilot  the  Lavi  fighter,  an 
advanced  Israeli  fighter  based  on  the  F-16,  which  was  canceled 
before  it  could  go  into  full  production. 


How  realistic  are  the  flight  models  in  the  game? 

Yam  Shahor  All  the  flight  models  are  accurate  and  tested  by  pilots 
with  thousands  of  flight  hours  on  each  of  the  Israeli  planes,  and  also  by 
lAF  test  pilots  who  flew  the  Lavi,  the  Mi6-29,  and  even  the  MiG-23  per- 
sonally. The  flight  envelopes  are  generated  out  of  the  real  performance 
tables  of  the  jets  In  the  game;  special  effects  such  as  spins,  stalls,  and 
flicks  are  all  modeled  in  the  appropriated  jets.  An  intermediate  player 
can  turn  on  the  easy  flight  model  modes  and  enjoy  a more  forgMng 
flight  model.  The  use  of  force-feedback  joysticks  gives  us  the  opportuni- 
ty to  enhance  the  feeling  of  flying  the  jets.  For  example,  the  F-16  and 
the  Lavi  are  smooth  flyers,  while  the  F-15  and  F-4  jets  shake  and  rattle 
as  the  AOA  builds  toward  the  stall  angle. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


/.computergaming. < 


©1998  Sierra  On-line,  Inc.,  Bellevue,  WA  98007.  ® and/or  TM  designate  trademarks  of,  or  licensed  to,  Sierra  On-Line,  Inc.  All  Rights  Reser 


^hc  besc-setting  advene 


euilliams  faRings  you  che 


uRe  seRies  cvcr  is  back.  RobcRta 


magic  of-  lling’s  ^uesc:  mask 
ujoRld  op  DavenCRy  as  ic’s  nevcR 


ecuRn  CO  ceU  abouc  ic.  seven 


bable  advencuRc.  Coming  chis  pail, 


WORLD  AIR  POWER:  ISRAELI  AIR  FORCE 


detection  and  track  ranges  are 
also  different  from  one  jet  to 
another.  The  limits  of  the  sys- 
tems are  correa;  terrain  clutter, 
terrain  masking,  and  RCS  are  all 
modeled  in  the  simulation 
engine,  contributing  to  the  real- 
ism of  the  game  and  allowing 
players  to  benefit  from  correct 
flying  tactics." 

Terrain  Following 

The  most  distinctive  feature  of 
lAF  is  its  terrain  engine,  Based 
on  stereoscopic  satellite  images 
of  Israel  and  surrounding  territo- 
ry, the  ground  has  unprecedent- 
ed detail.  Instead  of  using  poly- 
gons to  represent  various  eleva- 
tions, elevation  can  change  from 
pixel  to  pixel.  Detail  ranges  from 
about  100  meters  per  pixel  in 
some  desert  expanses,  to  20 
meters  per  pixel  in  many  combat 
zones,  all  the  way  down  to  2 
meters  per  pixel  in  and  around 
cities  and  targets.  To  this  level  of 
detail,  add  the  game's  Al  planes, 
which  properly  use  low-level 
combat  techniques,  and  you 
have  the  makings  of  some  very 
exciting  dogfights  through 
mountains  and  valleys. 

The  downside  of  this  tech- 
nique is  that  it  uses  more  than 
300MB  of  texture  data,  far  too 
much  for  3D  cards.  So  while  the 
aircraft  and  special  effects  are 
rendered  using  3D  cards  (3Dfx 
and  ATI  AGP  cards  are  support- 
ed), the  ground  Isn't,  Because 
there's  no  hardware  filtering,  the 
textures  have  a shimmering 
effect  (imagine  the  Dr.  Katz  artist 
doing  a flight  sim)  that  may 
bother  some  gamers,  and  it  looks 
pretty  pixelated  in  lower-detail 
areas.  This  is  a necessary  tradeoff 
to  get  unprecedented  elevation 
detail,  which  wouldn't  be  possi- 
ble using  traditional  polygons 
and  3D-compatible  texturing 
methods. 

Pixel's  David  Zerah  explains: 
"Above  all,  the  terrain  was 
designed  to  allow  us  to  actually 
duplicate  the  physical  environ- 
ment of  the  lAF  flights  in  terms 
of  bases,  targets,  border  lines, 
and  so  on — well,  with  some 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  11 


minor  limitations  imposed  on  us 
by  our  [Israeli]  Air  Force  intelli- 
gence security  unit,  of  course.  The 
enemy  aircraft  brains  are  pro- 
grammed to  fly  low  and  use  the 
terrain  for  cover.  The  planned 
flight  routes  are  always  taking 
the  terrain  into  consideration. 
Enemy  ground  missiles  will  fire 


only  when  in  line-of-sight,  so  it's 
extremely  important  to  take 
advantage  of  the  terrain." 

lAF  will  require  a minimum  of 
a Pentium  200MMX  system 
with  32MB  of  RAM  (64MB  for 
optimum  performance).  The 
early  version  I've  been  flying 
shows  a promising  balance 


between  realism  and  gameplay. 
The  only  major  downside  to  this 
version  was  the  texture  shim- 
mering, which  bothered  a num- 
ber of  CGW  editors  who  tried 
the  sim.  I hope  that  this  effect 
will  be  less  noticeable  in  later 
builds  as  Pixel  enhances  the  ter- 
rain detail.  tK'i'.'J 


KFIR  ME  The  Kfir  C-7  was  the  first  indige- 
nous Israeli  fighter;  it's  a fine-taned  Mirage 
ili  vnth  a Phantom's  J79  engine. 


iv.computergamirfg.com 


DEMONSTRATION: 

1 Tear  out  this  page. 

2 Crumple  into  ball. 

3 Toss  over  your  shoulder. 

► The  sound  this  ad  will  make  when  it  hits  the  ground 
behind  you  is  the  power  of  A3D™from  Aureal,  the 
only  audio  that  works  the  way  your  ears  do. 

No  wonder  game  makers  like  Interplay  and  GT  Interactive  are  featuring 
A3D  in  their  newest  titles.  Experience  it  for  yourself  at  www.A3D.com 


3D 


Go  to  #27i  @ www.computergaming.com/info1ink 

0)998  Aureat  Semiconductor.  Inc.  A3D  and  Aureal  are  Irademarks  of  Aureal  Semiconductor  Inc.  Other  trademarks  are  properties  of  their  respective  owners. 


Im  Yiilmii  at 

Srini  Isssilt  Velilele  lilBlif 


FUSmBEAM 


FlAMFmOWFR 


RABAR  SUIBFO  MISSIIE 
lABHCHER 


FBSIBIH  PBWER  PIAIVT  delivers 
smooth  running  power  at  temperatures 
up  to  700  degrees  Kelvin 


SEEBRECBAIERBl  SYSTEM  with  realtime 

fractal  encryption  keeps  your  datalink  untraceable 
and  unbreakable.  Drive  with  confidence. 


ARMBR  FACmS  of  renewable  ceramic  polymers 
protect  your  vehicle  from  adverse  conditions  such  as 
plasma  bolts  and  autocannon  fire. 


ElECTRBMASmiC  REPBISBR  BRIBE 

with  gyrostabilization  and  inertial  dampers 
goes  from  0 to  180km/h  in  0.0014  seconds 


The  Rpgus  Overloril 

Armor  Trend  netmagazine’s 
2219  Assault  Vehicle  of  the  Year 


All  Nataka  Remotely  Piloted  Vehicles  ship  with  version  56.9  of  BattleHelper,  Nataka's  award-winning  operating  system. 
Some  vehicles  not  exactly  as  shown.  All  performance  specifications  given  for  unencumbered  vehicles  In  1 G of  gravitational 
force  and  101.9  kPa  of  barometric  pressure  unless  otherwise  indicated.  BattleHelper  is  a registered  product  of  the  Nataka 
Corporate  Empire.  Unauthorized  use  of  the  BattleHelper  name  is  a violation  of  applicable  treaties  and  will  be  met  with  military 
force.  Gunmetal"  and  Mad  Genius  Software’  are  registered  trademarks  of  Mad  Genius  Software  Ltd. 


Go  to  #130  @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink 


F-16  Viper  and  /VUC-29  Fulerum 

Novalogic's  Sim  Duo  Lets  You  Fight  on  Either  Side 


I 


I his  September,  Novalogic  plans  to  release 
simultaneously  two  new  jet  sims  that  can 
share  a single  battle  arena.  If  fighting  for 
democracy  and  apple  pie  is  your  thing,  choose 
F-16  VIPER,  the  latest  sim  developed  in  cooper- 
ation with  Lockheed-Martin.  If  you're  feeling  a bit 
more  confrontational,  drop  in  the  cockpit  of  MIG-29 
FUtCRUM  to  experience  flying  one  of  the  last  great 
technical  achievements  of  the  Soviet  era.  And  those 


don't  use  the  card's  2-buffer  fea- 
ture, so  resolutions  of  up  to 
800x600  are  supported  on  an 
original  Voodoo  card,  and 
1024x768  on  a single  Voodoo^ 
card.  On  3D  cards,  the  terrain 
sports  16  times  the  polygon  detail 
of  F-22  RAPTOR.  Even  on  the  early 
version  of  F*16  VIPER  that  I flew, 
at  1024x768  the  ground  detail 
was  so  crisp  I could  almost  forget 
I was  looking  at  a sim.  Hardware 
acceleration  will  also  eliminate 
the  polygon  "pop-up"  of  earlier 
Novalogic  jet  sims. 


Virtual  Views 

Where  many  sims  have  a highly 
detailed  static,  bitmapped  cockpit 
in  addition  to  a lower-res,  virtual 
cockpit,  Novalogic  has  managed 
to  combine  the  best  of  both  into 
one  cockpit  for  each  plane,  Unlike 
the  somewhat  blocky  virtual  cock- 
pits in  games  like  JSF  and  F-22 
ADF,  the  instrument  panels  here 
are  as  crisp  as  any  static  cockpits 
you've  seen.  And  despite  their  vir- 
tual nature,  both  cockpits  feature 
fully  clickable  instrument  panels, 
not  to  mention  working  analog 


arguments  as  to  which  is  the  better  plane  can  finally 
be  settled  over  the  Internet  skies  of  Novalogic's 
NovaWorld  servers.  VIPER  and  FULCRUM  will  Initially 
be  bundled  together  at  the  price  of  a single  game; 
they  may  eventually  be  sold  separately  as  well. 


Building  on  Experience 

Novalogic's  first  jet  sim,  F-22 
LIGHTNING  II.  was  a good  seller, 
but  it  met  with  a lackluster 
response  from  experienced  sim 
players,  who  found  that  the  sim's 
overly  simple  flight  model  didn't 
match  claims  of  realism  on  the 
box,  and  who  were  disappointed 
with  the  game's  lack  of  replay- 
ability. The  company  worked  out  a 
licensing  deal  with  Lockheed- 
Martin  for  its  next  sim,  F-22 
RAPTOR.  While  still  not  “hard- 
core" by  any  means,  RAPTOR  fea- 
tured a much-improved  flight 
model  and  a somewhat  improved 
campaign  structure,  in  which  your 
successes  or  failures  could  affect 
future  missions.  Most  significant, 
though,  was  the  addition  of  Nova- 
World,  a free  online  massively 


F-16  VIPER  and 
MlC-29  FULCRUM 


RELEASE  DATE:  Q3  '98 
DEVELOPER:  Novalogic 
PUBLISHER:  Novalogic 


multiplayer  service  which  featured 
arenas  supporting  more  than  100 
RAPTOR  players  simultaneously. 

NovaWorld  is  where  RAPTOR 
really  shines.  But  there's  been  one 
problem  with  gameplay — every- 
one's flying  the  same  aircraft, 
which  limits  the  available  strate- 
gies (not  to  mention  suspension  of 
disbelieO.  With  the  coming  of  both 
F-16  VIPER  and  MIG-29  FULCRUM 
to  NovaWorld's  skies,  things 
should  get  much  more  interesting. 

VIPER  and  FULCRUM  are  based 
on  the  RAPTOR  engine,  but  they 
feature  significant  improvements 
on  that  sim,  including  better-look- 
ing graphics,  3Dfx  support, 
improved  flight  modeling,  and  a 
more  sophisticated  campaign,  The 
game  engine  is  essentially  identi- 
cal in  VIPER  and  FULCRUM,  with 
the  primary  difference  being  the 
aircraft  model  and  its  capabilities, 
and  a different  set  of  missions. 

The  most  noticeable  improve- 
ment in  the  games  is  in  their 
graphics.  Hardware  support  is 
included  for  3Dfx  cards.  The  sims 


FACING  DOOM  Here's  the  last  thing  many  a MiG-29  pilot  will 
see.  The  terrain  in  3Dfe  mode  sports  16  times  the  detail  found 
in  Novalogic's  previous  jet  sim. 


Neither  game  sup- 
ports DirectBD  or 
OpenGL,  so  users  of 
non-3Dfx-based  graph- 
ics cards  will  have  to  run 
the  games  using  a soft- 
ware graphics  engine, 
Even  so,  the  terrain  has 
four  times  the  detail  of 
F-22  raptor's  software 
engine,  and  16-bit  color 
eliminates  much  of  the 
dithered  look. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


v.compulergamlng.t 


F-16  VIPER  AND  MIC-29  FULCRUM 


FACE-OFF  The  F-16  and  MiG-29  will  be  able  to  battle  head-to-head  over  modem,  Internet,  or  local- 
area  networks,  or  in  large  squadrons  on  the  massively  multiplayer  NovaWorld  server 


IN  THE  CIRCUIT  Here,  you  scan  the  runway  from  the  virtual  cock- 
pit view;  note  the  chevron  on  the  left  side  of  the  canopy  which 
keeps  you  oriented  toward  the  front  of  the  plane. 


also  in  contact  with  pilots  who've 
flown  the  MiG-29  to  verify  the 
accuracy  of  the  companion  sim. 

Around  the  World 

VIPER  will  feature  around  40 
missions  set  in  Bolivia,  Armenia, 
Turkey,  the  Philippines,  and  one 
other  geographic  region  that  is  yet 
to  be  decided.  In  FULCRUM,  you'll 
fly  missions  for  countries  that  have 
purchased  MiG-29sfrom  Russia. 
These  are  being  developed  with 
the  assistance  of  Russian  aviator 
Yuri  Prikhodko,  a cosmonaut  and 
test  pilot  on  the  MiG-29,  Su-27, 
and  MiG-31  fighter  programs.  He's 
acting  as  a consultant  on  FUL- 
CRUM, and  is  helping  to  provide  a 
perspective  on  what  it's  like  to  do 
combat  from  the  other  side. 

Novalogic  strongly  believes  that 
human-scripted  missions  are  more 
interesting  and  offer  better  game- 
play  than  computer-generated 
sorties,  Designers  spend  about  a 
week  on  each  individual  mission 
before  it  goes  into  testing.  The 
good  news;  Your  successes  and 
failures  do  affect  the  missions 
you'll  be  assigned  later  in  the 
game.  The  bad  news:  As  with  previ- 
ous Novalogic  sims,  you'll  have  to 
refly  any  missions  you  fail  until  you 
complete  them  successfully. 

Where  the  sims  promise  to  shine 
is  in  the  NovaWorld  environment 
there,  VIPER  and  FULCRUM  players 
will  be  able  to  fly  with  RAPTOR 
owners  in  online  arenas.  It's  hoped 
that  Novalogic  will  create  arenas 
with  varying  mixes  of  aircraft — it 
would  be  interesting  to  pit  F-16s 
against  MiG-29s  without  any  F-22 
"superplanes"  in  the  mix. 


team  is  modeling  multiple  air-to- 
air  and  air-to-ground  radar  modes. 
Don't  expect  the  level  of  detail  or 
authenticity  of  FALCON  4,0  here,  of 
course,  but  look  for  a good  bal- 
ance between  realism  and  play- 
ability. Night  missions  in  the  F-16 
should  be  particularly  interesting, 
as  VIPER  will  model  the  F-16's 
LANTIRN  (Low-Altitude 
Navigation  and  Targeting  InfraRed 
for  Night)  targeting  pod. 

F-22  raptor's  flight  model  was 
a dramatic  improvement  over 
Novalogic's  first  jet  sim  effort,  and 
the  company  promises  even  more 
improvements  here.  The  extra 
fidelity  is  necessary  because, 
although  the  F-16  is  a computer- 


temperature,  and  the  F-16  flight 
computer  will  restrict  your  plane's 
angle  of  attack  when  the  jet  is 
heavily  loaded.  The  flight  model 
was  designed  with  the  assistance 
of  the  designer  of  Lockheed's  F-1 6 
simulator,  and  Novalogic  plans  to 
have  real  F-16  pilots  review  it 
before  VIPER  ships.  The  company  is 


and  digital  instruments.  Multiple 
zoom  levels  will  allow  you  to  have 
a full  instrument-panel  display, 
"HUD-in-your-face"  view,  or 
something  in-between. 

The  new  panels  are  for  more 
than  show.  Gone  is  RAPTOR'S  god- 
like radar  view — the  development 


augmented,  fly-by-wire  plane  like 
the  F-22,  its  control  system  isn't 
as  sophisticated.  In  addition,  the 
MiG-29  doesn't  utilize  fly-by-wire 
at  all,  so  it  should  have  a much 
different  feel  than  the  F-16. 
(During  my  visit  to  Novalogic, ! 
was  only  able  to  fly  the  F-1 6,  as 
the  MiG-29 
modeling  was 
still  in  the 
works.)  Look  for 
better  modeling 
of  altitude 
effects  on 
engine  perfor- 
mance and  fuel 
flow.  Aircraft 
systems  are 
more  detailed  as 
well — for 
instance,  you'll 
have  to  watch 
your  engine 


Raptor  Revised 

When  F-16  VIPER  and  MIG-29  FULCRUM  are  released, 

Novalogic  will  simultaneously  release  an  upgrade  for  its 
F-22  RAPTOR  to  allow  it  to  share  the  NovaWorld  skies 
with  the  new  sims.  Although  the  changes  to  the  sim  will  be  pri- 
marily to  enable  play  with  the  new  games,  look  for  some  of  the 
new  sims'  improvements  to  trickle  down  into  RAPTOR  for  play- 
balancing  purposes.  For  instance,  RAPTOR'S  radar  modeling  will  be 
made  more  realistic  so  as  not  to  give  the  F-22  a bigger  edge  over 
the  F-1 6 and  MiG-29  than  it  would  have  in  reality. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1996 


/.computorgaming.c 


SOUTHPEAK' 


; DID's  F-22  Game  Gets  a Real  Campaign  Engine 


F22  Total  Air  War 


Digital  Image  Design's  F22  AIR  DOMINANCE 
FIGHTER  (ADF)  wrapped  up  last  year's  wave 
of  F-22  simulations  with  a bang.  Sim  pilots 
lauded  the  game  for  its  detailed  flight 
modeling,  challenging  artificial  intelligence, 
and  impressive  graphics  engine.  The  biggest  gripe 
about  the  game  was  its  lack  of  flexibility  and 
replayability.  You  could  only  fly  the  game's  built-in, 
scripted  missions,  and 
you  had  no  control  over 
details — such  as  the 
weapons  loadout  of  your 
plane.  DID  aims  to 
address  these  gripes  in 
spades  with  F22  TOTAL 
AIR  WAR  (TAW). 

Common  Foundation 

Although  it's  a stand-alone  pro- 
gram (see  the  "It's  Not  an  Add- 
on" sidebar  next  page  for  details), 

TAW  is  based  heavily  on  the  ADF 
engine  and  includes  nearly  all  the 
features  of  that  earlier  title.  The 
biggest  difference  is  that  the  pre- 
scripted missions  in  ADF  have 
been  replaced  with  a dynamic 
campaign  engine. 

The  campaign  structure  in  TAW 
is  more  sophisticated  than  the  last 
dynamic  campaign  engine  DID 
created  for  EF2000  2.0.  The  mis- 
sions are  more  varied  in  nature, 
and  you  have  more  control.  Ten 
campaigns  are  proffered,  all  set  in 
the  Middle  East/North  Africa 


F22  TOTAL  AIR  WAR 


RELEASE  DATE:  Q3  '98 
DEVELOPER;  DID 
PUBLISHER;  Infogrames/Ocean 


region.  Details  vary  in  regard  to 
the  specific  countries  involved, 
and  in  each  campaign's  difficulty 
level.  You  can  access  the  later  cam- 
paigns only  after  you've  reached  a 
certain  score  in  the  earlier  battles. 

Once  you  choose  a campaign, 
you'll  find  yourself  at  the  War 
Room  interface.  Here  you  get  a 
visual  overview  of  all  the  missions 
going  on  throughout  the  war 
zone.  The  Theatre  map  brings  up  a 
graphic,  icon-laden  map  that 
shows  all  friendly,  enemy,  and 


WAR  ROOM  This  map  gives  you  a grand  picture  of  all  the  aerial 
action;  you  can  also  view  the  position  of  ground  and  naval 
troops,  as  well  as  enemy  strategic  assets. 


neutral  air  activity.  You  can  also 
bring  up  a variety  of  informational 
charts  that  show  the  number  of 
sorties  launched  by  each  side, 
damage  levels,  priority  targets, 
and  the  current  strategy. 

Strategies  are  based  on  a "five- 
ring"  model  employed  during  the 
Gulf  War  by  the  USAF.  Imagine  a 
bulls-eye  with  five  rings,  labeled 
from  the  outer  to  the  inner  ring  as 
Fielded  Military,  Population, 
Infrastructure,  Organic  Essentials 
(fuel,  oil,  and  the  like),  and 
Leadership.  The  outermost  ring  is 
the  most  vulnerable;  the  innermost 
is  the  most  vital — and  most  heavi- 
ly defended.  Attacking  the  outer- 
most layer— the  military— isn’t 
nearly  as  likely  to  demoralize  the 
enemy  as  strikes  against  inner 
rings  such  as  organic  essentials  or 
the  command  poste.  This  model 
relies  on  launching  large-scale,  par- 
allel attacks  on  each  layer  of  the 
ring.  Col.  John  Warden,  who  helped 
implement  this  strategy  in  the  Gulf 
War,  and  Col.  Rich  Reynolds,  a 
USAF  military  doctrine  analyst, 
consulted  with  DID  to  properly 
implement  this  model  in  TAW's 
campaign  engine.  The  result  is  a 
campaign  that  features  very  realis- 
tic and  logical  sorties. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


v.computergaming.< 


SOUTHPEAK' 


OUND  YaURaiELF 


A sci-d  ndventure  that 
will  immerse  you  in  360"  of 
completolv  seamless,  incredibly 
realistic,  motion  picture- 
quality  gaming. 


Video  heuliTV^ 


Go  to  #295  @ www.computergaming.com/in1olink 


F22  TOTAL  AIR  WAR 


Scramble! 

There  are  two  buttons  on  the 
War  Room  interface  that  will  bring 
you  into  the  action.  Selecting 
Scramble  will  alert  you  when  the 
next  scramble  mission  to  intercept 
enemy  aircraft  is  launched.  If  you 
accept  the  mission,  you'll  be 
launched  with  a single  wingman 
to  destroy  incoming  air  targets. 

For  more  variety  and  a more 
direct  effect  on  the  war  effort, 
click  the  Fly  button,  which  will 
bring  up  a list  of  all  the  missions 
currently  ready  for  launch.  These 
include  air  intercept,  escort,  Wild 
Weasel  antiradar,  and  ground 
attack  missions. 

If  there's  an  AWACS  aircraft  in 
the  air,  you  can  also  choose  to  fly 
as  an  AWACS  controller  and  direct 
other  aircraft  to  escort,  intercept, 
refuel,  and  so  on.  As  in  ADF,  you 
can  jump  into  any  the  cockpit  of 
any  F-22  by  clicking  on  it  from  the 
AWACS  screen. 

At  first,  you  can  select  only  sim- 
ple missions  (marked  with  a single 
X).  More  advanced  missions  (up  to 
XXXXX  level)  are  available  as  your 
pilot  score  increases.  You  score 
experience  points  for  successfully 
completing  mission  objectives, 
and  you  can  get  additional  points 
for  taking  out  extra  targets.  Your 
pilot  can  even  earn  medals  for 
exemplary  performance, 

You  can  take  missions  as  they're 
assigned,  or  you  can  replot  way- 
points,  altitudes,  flight  composi- 
tions, weapons  loads,  and  attack 
patterns  for  each  mission.  When 
appropriate  for  the  type  of  mission 
you're  flying,  you  can  also  assign 
targets  to  specific  flights. 

If  none  of  the  missions  suits 
your  fancy,  all  you  have  to  do  is 
cancel  out,  accelerate  time,  and 
click  Fly  again.  The  mission  types 
will  vary  as  the  war  progresses. 

in  various  campaigns  you'll  find 
yourself  allied  with  different  coun- 
tries— you  may  be  protecting 
Saudi  Arabia  against  the  Sudan  in 
one  campaign,  with  Egypt  as  an 
ally,  and  in  the  next  you  might  be 
flying  for  Egypt  while  the  Sudan 
remains  neutral.  As  the  campaign 
progresses,  neutral  countries  may 
choose  to  take  sides. 


Sini'ply  Better 

The  sim  engine  itself  has  seen 
some  minor,  but  welcome, 
upgrades,  from  little  things  like 
toning  down  the  runway  bump 
sounds  to  fixing  the  abrupt 
transitions  from  night  into 
day.  In  addition  to  the 
campaign  missions,  you'll 
also  find  a number  of 
scripted  training  missions; 
a new  Custom  Combat 
section,  which  lets  you  set 
up  dogfights  against  any 
of  the  aircraft  in  the  sim; 
multiplayer  missions:  and 
the  excellent  ACMI  (Air 
Combat  Maneuvering 
Interface)  flight  recorder. 

The  only  disappointment  in 
the  beta  version  was  that 
the  F-22's  thrust-vector 
maneuvering  capabilities 
still  had  to  be  manually 
activated;  in  the  real 
plane,  the  flight  computer 


handies  vectoring  automatically. 

At  first,  F22  TOTAL  AIR  WAR 
doesn't  seem  like  a big  upgrade 
from  F22  AIR  DOMINANCE 
FIGHTER.  But  the  sophistication 


of  the  campaign,  the  variety  of 
missions,  and  the  added  control 
TAW  gives  you  over  the  sorties 
you  fly  should  make  for  a much 
richer  experience.  2317 


LOADED  FOR  TU-95  BEAR  New  to  TAW  is  the  ability  to  customize  the 
weapons  loadouts  of  the  aircraft  in  your  flight  group. 


Its  Nat  an  AiU-on 

DID's  distributor,  infogrames,  has  a dubious  record  when  it  comes  to  add-on  sequels,  especially  in 
North  America.  For  EF2000,  its  previous  simulation,  the  company  put  out  an  add-on  disc  called 
TAQCOM,  which  added  a mission  editor  and  a number  of  other  enhancements.  TACTCOM  sold  for 
about  £1 5 in  the  UK,  and  was  necessary  if  you  wanted  to  use  the  3Dfx  or  Rendition  graphics  patches  for 
EF2000.  However,  distributor  Ocean  declined  to  release  TAacOM  in  the  U.S.,  so  EF2000  owners  looking  for 
3D  acceleration  were  forced  to  buy  EF2000  2.0 — essentially  purchasing  the  sim  a second  time. 

When  DID  first  announced  its  F-22  game,  it  was  going  to  include  a dynamic  campaign.  Later  the  prod- 
uct was  split  into  two  parts;  F22  ADF,  which  included  a series  of  canned  missions,  and  F22  TAW,  which  was 
supposed  to  be  a low-cost  add-on  disc  that  would  add  the  dynamic  campaign  elements  to  ADF.  As  work 
progressed  on  TAW,  two  things  became  clean  First,  the  product  had  grown  in  scope  to  the  point  where 
some  fundamental  changes  to  the  engine  made  it  less  viable  to  do  an  add-on  disq  and  second,  retailers 
in  North  America  are  loath  to  carry  low-profit  add-ons  to  any  but  the  most  popular  products. 

Thus,  F22  TAW  became  a full-price,  stand-alone  product.  DID  assured  ADF  buyers  that  an  upgrade  or 
rebate  would  be  available,  but  many  sim  fliers  were  annoyed  after  getting  similar  treatment  with  regard 
to  EF2Q00.  While  the  market  forces  that  forced  DID  to  reconsider  doing  TAW  as  an  add-on  are  understand- 
able, many  customers  have  expressed  frustration  at  the  company  making  promises  it  can't  keep. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


/computergaming.t 


Landing  Soon 


A Variety  of  Jet,  Helicopter,  and  Civilian  Sims  Are  in  a Holding  Pattern 


I 


here's  never  been  a shortage  of  F-1 6 sims,  and 
it's  no  surprise  that  Novalogic's  F-1 6 VIPER  will 
have  company  on  the  shelves.  MicroProse's 
FALCON  4.0  is  inching  ever  closer  to  release,  and 
the  good  news  is 


we  have  a beta  version  in- 
hand that's  pretty  much 
feature-complete,  with 
only  debugging  and  play- 
balancing left  to  be  done. 
The  bad  news  is  the  prod- 
uct has  been  delayed 
again,  probably  at  least 
until  the  fourth  quarter  of 
this  year.  We  hear  Gilman 
Louie  himself  has  stepped 
in  to  help  wrap  up  the 
product,  which  could  bode 
well  for  the  final  game's 
quality  and  stability,  but 
could  also  drag  out  the 
fine-tuning  process. 


Also  incoming  on  tiie  F-1 6 front 
is  Virgin's  F-16  AGGRESSOR.  We've 
played  an  alpha  version  of  the 
game,  but  it  wasn't  far  enough 
along  for  a full  preview.  Impressive 
graphics  and  decent  flight  model- 
ing (let's  hope  Virgin  doesn't  do  the 
SABRE  ACE  treatment  on  this  game 
and  dumb  down  the  aircraft  han- 
dling) are  wrapped  around  a campy 
mercenary  storyline  that  pits  you  as 
an  F-16  pilot  for  hire;  think  STRIKE 
COMMANDER  '98.  In  a similar  vein, 
look  for  JETFI6HTER:  FULL  BURN  to 
hit  stores  about  the  time  you  read 
this.  It's  an  updated  version  of  the 
JETFIGHTER  III  engine  that  will  also 
let  you  fly  the  MiG  1 .42.  This  sim 


will  wrap  the  missions  in  WING  COMMANDER-like  video  sequences,  as  welt 
as  add  a welcome  multiplayer  mode  to  the  series. 

F22  TOTAL  AIR  WAR  seems  to  be  the  end  of  the  F-22  deluge,  but  Eidos  has 
an  expansion  disc  in  the  works  for  its  JSF  (JOINT  STRIKE  FIGHTER)  title. 

We  keep  seeing  gradual  progress  on  the  SU-27  FLANKER  2.0  front,  but,  like 
the  Russian  contributions  to  the  International  Space  Station,  development  is 
dragging  out  longer  than  planned. 


HOLLYWOOD  FALCON  Virgin's  F-16  AGGRESSOR  promises  realistic 
flight  wrapped  around  a Hollywood-style  mercenary-for-hire  plot 


We're  not  sure  which  will  launch 
first.  Fans  of  Russian  hardware  are 
more  likely  to  see  MiG  ALLEY 
Empire/Rowan's  Korean  War  simula- 
tion, before  SU-27  FLANKER  2.0  hits 
the  shelves.  We're  stilt  waiting  to 
get  a hands-on  flight  of  MiG  ALLEY, 
but  we've  seen  some  amazing  early 
graphics,  with  details  such  as  cock- 
pit reflections  inside  of  the  canopy. 

Two  F/A-18E  Super  Hornet  simu- 
lations will  be  hitting  stores  soon. 
Interactive  Magic's  1F/A-18E 
CARRIER  STRIKE  FIGHTER  is  based  on 
an  enhanced  version  of  the  lF-22 
v5.0  engine.  New  features  include 
carrier  operations  and  night  mis- 
sions. The  U.K.'s  Digital  Integration, 
the  company  responsible  for  TORNADO,  HIND,  and  lF-16, 
is  creating  SUPER  HORNET.  Look  for  details  in  our  fall  pre- 
view next  month.  Di  also  has  a Harrier  sim  in  the  works* 
set  for  an  early  1999  release.  Fora  lighter  F/A-1 8 experi- 
ence, check  out  TOP  GUN:  HORNET'S  NEST,  coming  at  the 
end  of  the  year  from  MicroProse. 


TREES  COMPANY  When  you  try  to  hide  from 
other  helicopters  in  APACHE  VS.  HAVOC, 
you’ll  be  able  to  get  down  behind  the  trees. 


The  Chopper  Block 

Unfortunately,  Empire's  APACHE  VS.  HAVOC,  one  of 
the  more  impressive  titles  we've  seen  in  recent  months, 
wasn't  quite  far  enough  along  for  a hands-on  preview 
in  this  issue.  But,  it's  being  developed  by  Razorback  in 
the  U.K.,  and  it  looks  set  to  excel  on  both  graphics  and 
gameplay  fronts.  Designed  from  the  ground-up  for  mul- 
tiplayer gaming,  the  sim  lets  you  fly  the  glass-cockpit 
U.S,  Apache  or  the  more  primitive,  but  still  deadly, 
Russian  Havoc.  Extremely  detailed  helicopters  and  ter- 
rain (not  to  mention  impressive  weather  effects)  make 
for  great  atmosphere,  but  the  big  enhancement  here  is 
the  game's  tree-lines,  which  can  be  used  for  cover.  This 
should  make  for  some  very  interesting  multiplayer  tactics. 

TEAM  APACHE,  originally  slated  as  an  Eidos  release, 
will  now  be  coming  out  from  SSI/Mindscape  around 
the  time  you  read  this.  Less  hard-core  (and  a bit  more 
accessible)  than  LONGBOW  2,  this  title  has  some  great 
aspects,  the  most  impressive  of  which  is  the  ability  to 
work  as  a team  with  up  to  five  other  Apaches.  Finally, 
look  for  info  next  month  on  MicroProse's  GUNSHIP  III, 
an  attack  helicopter  sim  which  can  connect  to  Ml 
TANK  PLATOON  for  multiplayer  play.  S3I7 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 


_A. 


/.compolefgamlng.c 


Charge  headlong  into  the  complete  Total  Annihilation'"  universe 
and  you'll  immerse  yourself  in  one  of  real-time  strategy's  most 
explosive  sagas.  Through  all  three  chapters,  you'll  dominate  over 
100  maps  with  250  different  units  to  produce  massive  wreckage- 
filled  battles  and  quick  explosive  skirmishes.  Pile  on  full  3D 
environments,  explosive  multiplayer 
capabilities  and  most  importantly  fast  ,| 

and  easy  gameplay  and  you're  ^ 3 

crushing  the  universe  with " ...the  new  ^ 

king  of  real-time  strategy  games.”  * -v  T ^11 


1^1 


Game  of  the  Year 

-GameSpot  Editors 

Game  of  the  Year 

-GameSpot  Reader's  Choice  Awards 


I 


Best  Real-Time  Strategy  Game 

-PC  Gamer  On-Line,  Reader's  Choice  Award 


Best  Real-Time  Strategy  Game 

-Adrenaline  Vault 


Best  Real-Time  Strategy  Game 

-Ultra  Game  Player's  magazine 


< A V t 4 

tnTtKTAi-httfknT  / 


A GT  Interactive  Company 

www.cavedog.com 


6)997. 1998  Humongous  Enieriainment,  Inc.  All  righu  reserved.  Total  Atinihil.rlion,  Toial  Anhihilnlioti:  Tire  Core  Corrtingency,  Cavcdog  Entertoinmeniand  the  Cavedog  Ent^hvnwt  logo  ate  U^marlu  of  Humongoiis  Eirtertainment,  Inc. 


Just  Doesn't 


www.cavedog.com  ^ 

Over  9,000,000 

Total  Annihilation  hits  per  week! 


Check  out  what  fans  are  saying  about 
the  world's  most  explosive  strategy  saga. 


Total  Annihilation: 

The  Core  Contingency" 

The  second  chapter  in  the  world's 
most  explosive  strategy  saga! 


Total  Annihilation:  Battle  Tactics" 

Dive  right  into  a new  batch  of  quick  missions  for  the  world's  most 
explosive  strategy  game!  Total  Annihilation:  Battle  Tactics  features 
smaller,  quicker  battles  to  satisfy  that  nagging  Total  Annihilation  fix. 
Blast  through  1 00  rapid-fire  ambushes  where  the  action  is  fast  and 
furious.  New  maps  provide  fresh  opportunity  for  ambush.  Varying 
degrees  of  difficulty  give  new  Total  Annihilation  players  a chance  to 
learn  the  ropes  while  offering  advanced  players  a new  challenge. 


STRATEGY  IS  EVERYTHING 


75  New  Units 
50  New  Maps 
25  New  Missions 
6 New  Worlds 


Go  to  #170  @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink 


'Coinpuict  Game  Entertainment 


by  Loyd  Case 

Photos  by  Michael  Falconer 


The  Flight  Control  Gear  You  Need 
for  Your  Next  Serious  Furball 

Serious  flight-sim  aficionados  aspire  to  being  there.  The 
idea  is  to  get  as  close  as  possible  to  the  flight  experi- 
ence without  climbing  into  a cockpit.  (Well,  there  are  an 
impassioned  few  who  actually  build  cockpits,  but  that's 
another  story.)  What's  more,  combat  flight  simulators 
are  becoming  increasingly  sophisticated  and  realistic.  Titles  such 
as  DID's  F22  ADF  and  JANE'S  F-1S  push  the  envelope  in  terms  of 
flight  models,  sensor  operation,  and  full-wing  operation.  This 
means,  of  course,  that  running  the  sim  takes  more  keyboard  com- 
mands than  ever.  Even  the  simpler  sims  are  getting  more  sophisti- 
cated and  complex. 

As  a result,  flight  controllers— no  longer  mere  "joysticks" — 
have  gotten  increasingly  sophisticated,  mirroring  the  games  they 
enhance.  There  are  a number  of  joysticks  and  other  controller 
devices  that  try  to  satisfy  the  desires  of  those  In  pursuit  of  the 
total  (virtual)  flight  experience.  Below,  we  take  a look  at  a num- 
ber of  flight-control  setups,  both  old  and  new,  and  see  how  well 
they  play  in  some  of  today's  sims. 


Decisions,  Decisions... 

No  two  sim  players  are  the  same.  Some  are  more  casual,  want- 
ing to  boot  up  a sim  occasionally  and  do  some  fun  dogfighting. 
Others  are  much  more  serious,. setting  the  game  up  to  start  at  the 
airbase,  getting  into  the  intricacies  of  air-to-air  refueling,  and  try- 
ing to  work  well  in  the  context  of  multiple  plane  flights.  Because 
of  this,  flight-control  setups  are  intensely  personal— what  works 
for  one  user  may  be  the  bane  of  the  next.  And  high-end  systems 
have  thrown  another  variable  into  the  equation — some  con- 
trollers don't  work  well  with  the  new  generation  of  fast  Pentium 
il  systems.  We'll  keep  all  these  issues  in  mind  as  we  examine  the 
force-feedback  sticks,  high-end  sticks,  throttles,  and  rudders  that 
you  may  want  to  add  to  your  collection  for  the  utmost  realism. 


iU  • AUGUST  1998  J4K 


Forcing  the  Issue 


Li 


astyear  was  another  of  those  "This  is  the  year  of  the. . . " 

_ tto  didn 't  quite  come  to  pass.  In  this  case,  it  was  sup- 
I posed  to  be  the  year  of  the  force-feedback  game  controller. 
In  fact,  we  saw  exactly  one  new  product— Microsoft's  Sidewinder 
Force  Feedback  Pro.  There  was  a dramatic  price  reduction  in  CH's 
Force  FX,  the  only  other  existing  consumer  force-feedback  prod- 
uct. Other  controllers  were  delayed  several  times;  maybe  this 
year,  we'll  see  more  of  them. 


Microsoft  Sidewinder 
Force  Feedback  Pro 

-h  'h  'h  'k 

With  its  S149  list  price, 
you'd  expect  this  stick  to 
be  a high-end  flight  controller, 
but  it  has  more  in  common  with 
its  lesser  sibling,  the  Precision 
Pro,  than  with  high-end  gear.  As 
with  the  Precision  Pro,  it's  an  all- 
in-one  controller  with  an  inte- 
grated throttle,  a twist  handle 
(for  rudder  function),  and  the 
same  nine  buttons. 

The  first  version  of 
the  Sidewinder  Force 
Feedback  Pro  (SFFP) 
had  a rea//y  loud  fan. 

We've  heard  reports  that 
recent  sticks  have  come 
sans  fan,  which  would  be 
a welcome  relief.  The  utili- 
ty for  programming  the 
SFFP  is  similar  to  Precision 


Pro's,  but  there's  no 
force  editor  supplied, 
which  seems  a glaring 
omission. 

Support  for  the  SFFP  has 
been  somewhat  mixed.  It's 
been  widely  supported  in  action 
games  such  as  HEAVY  GEAR  and 
driving  games  like  NEED  FOR 
SPEED  SE  II,  but  support  in  flight 
sims  has  been  less  prevalent.  A 
few,  like  SABRE  ACE,  come  to 
mind,  but  support  on  high-end 
sims  has  been  lacking.  Without 
force-feedback  support,  the 
SFFP  becomes  a very 
expensive  version  of 
the  Precision  Pro. 
With  better  force- 
feedback  support 
in  DirectX  6.0,  per- 
haps we'll  see 
more  extensive  use 
of  force  feedback 
in  future  sims.  Of 
course,  in  some 


cases 

force-feed- 
back support  does 
not  make  much  sense.  In 
an  F-16  you  don't  feel  much 
force,  except  for  G-forces  on  your 
hand,  because  the  controls  are 
fly-by-wire.  In  a World  War  I or  II 
sim,  though,  force  feedback 
properly  done  could  significantly 
add  to  the  experience. 

The  Sidewinder  Force 
Feedback  Pro  is  a clean,  solidly 
implemented  force-feedback 
stick — it's  just  not  a particularly 
realistic  flight  stick.  And  it's  too 
bad  that  it  thinks  it's  the  only 
controller  in  the  universe. 

Sidewinder  Force  Feedback  Pro, 
S149.95.  Contact:  Microsoft,  (425)  882- 
8080:  www.microsoft.com/hardware 

PROS:  Digital  optical  electronics; 
good  programming  utility;  ergonomic 
handle;  throttle;  force-feedback  support. 
CONS:  Short  throw;  twist  handle  can  be 
confusing:  no  force  editor. 


CH  Products  Force  FX 

k k k k k 

The  Force  FX  was  the  first 
force-feedback  stick  on  the 
market.  Like  a lot  of  pioneers,  CH 
ended  up  taking  some  hits  for 
being  so  early.  The  Force  FX  is 


based  on 
Immersion’s  1.0 
force-feedback  API.  Since 
then,  Immersion  has  added  a 
lot  of  capability  to  the  second 
major  revision  of  its  program- 
ming interface  and  integrated  it 
much  more  closely  with  the 
Directinput  API. 

In  a reflection  of  more  recent 
developments,  CH  has  released 
DirectX  5 drivers  for  the  FX  and 
dropped  the  price  to  S99.95.  The 
DirectX  support  is  limited,  since 
the  capabilities  of  the  stick  itself 
maps  more  closely  with  the 
Immersion  1.0  API.  Additionally, 
the  motor  isn't  as  powerful  as 
the  one  In  the  Sidewinder  Force 
Feedback  Pro.  However,  the  FX 
now  works  with  rudder  pedals 
and  throttle.  Unlike  the  Microsoft 
stick,  the  Force  FX  can  be  part  of 
a more  realistic  flight-control 
setup. 

At  a hundred  bucks,  the  Force 
FX  might  be  worth  the  cost  to 
experiment  with  force  feedback. 
Bear  in  mind,  though,  that  it's  a 
limited  implementation. 

CH  Force  FX,  Price:  S99.95.  Contact: 
CH  Products,  (760)  598-2518; 

WWW.  chproducts.  com 

PROS:  Force-feedback  effects;  works 
with  separate  throttle  and  rudder. 
CONS:  Force  effects  are  a little  coarse; 
big  footprint. 


Tom  Oancy’s 


T 


i 


Play  as  if  5.7  Billion  lives  Dependeil  on  it. 


The  most  revolutionary 


g]Mlg|UIKMl|||2g 

Ml] 

[UflUBIlH 

jIII'WiBIB 

BIik 

iSiilSI 

ijjllll 

FLIGHT  CONTROLLERS 


(let's  Get  Real 

\ |»  jn  ost  flight  sims  out  there  have  more  controls  than  you 
could  ever  manage  with  a mere  four-button  joystick. 

I V I What's  more,  serious  flight-sim  jockeys  want  to  get  as 
close  as  they  can  to  pure  HOTAS  (hands  on  throttle  and  stick)  in 
order  to  avoid  the  dreaded  “hunt-and-peck " with  a bogie  hot  on 
their  six.  Here  again,  there 's  a hefty  amount  of  competent  gear  to  be 
had,  so  it  comes  down  to  personal  preference  and  the  gear's  feel. 


ThrustMaster  F-22  Pro 

★ A A A 

The  F-22  Pro  is  modeled  after 
the  F-16  block  50  flight  stick. 
It’s  massive,  heavy,  and  stiff.  The 
stiffness  is  intentional,  the  idea 
being  to  model  the  effort  required 
to  move  the  real  thing.  That  real- 
ism also  helps  you  maintain  con- 
trol: Overshooting  is  more  difficult 
with  a stiff  stick.  Still,  the  F-22 
Pro  can  be  a wrist  wrangler  in 
long  game  sessions,  Tlie  stick  has 
a glass-filled  handle  for  a very 
solid  feel,  geared  potentiometers 
for  more  precise  control,  and 
more  hat  switches  than  you  can 
shake  an  AiM-9X  at. 

The  F-22  Pro  comes  with  a set 
of  DOS  programming  utilities. 

Ease  of  use  is  not  their  strong 
suit,  but  they  get  the  job  done. 
There  are  now  at  least  two 
Windows-based  graphical  pro- 
gramming utilities  for 
ThrustMaster  gear,  including 
Mario  Casabar's  nicely  done  EZ 


ThrustMaster  F-22  Pro 


Build.  The  F-22  is  capable  of  hold- 
ing up  to  four  separate  programs, 
although  you  need  to  run  the 
DOS-based  download  utility  to 
activate  any  given  program.  There 
are  no  Windows-specific  drivers 
for  the  F-22  either.  The  good  news 
is  that  most  of  the  new  flight 
sims  come  with  precreated  down- 
loads for  the  F-22  Pro,  and  there 
are  many  others  available  on 
ThrustMaster's  Web  site. 

All  of  this  sounds  like  a lot  of 
effort,  and  it  is.  However,  once  you 
get  going  with  the  stick,  the  heavy 
base  and  solid  feel  compensate 
for  the  effort.  We've  heard  reports 
of  flaky  potentiometers,  but 
ThrustMaster  is  happy  to  send  you 
new  pots  should  you  require 
them.  In  addition,  there  were 
problems  downloading  programs 
to  the  stick  on  some  fast  Pentium 
Ns,  but  a fix  is  available  on 
ThrustMaster's  Web  site. 

If  realism  is  what  you  demand, 
the  F-22  Pro  is  hard  to  beat.  But 
you'll  pay  a stiff  price;  It  carries  a 
suggested  list  price  of  S220. 

F-22  Pro.  Price:  S2 19.95  MSRP. 
Cor)!act:  ThrustMaster,  (503)  615-3200: 
WWW.  thrustmaster.  com 

PROS:  Solid,  precise  (eel;  highly  pro- 
grammable; lots  of  buttons.  CONS: 

Very  stiff  springs;  supplied  DOS  pro- 
gramming tools  are  arcane;  expensive. 


ThrustMaster  Throttle 
Quadrant  System 

■A  -A  -A  -k  if 

The  TQS  is  the  perfect  partner 
for  the  F-22  Pro.  At  its  heart, 
the  TQS  is  an  analog  or  digital 
throttle  control  for  flight  sims. 
Paired  with  an  F-22  Pro,  you  can 


ThrustMaster  Throttle  Quadrant  System 


have  a complete  HOTAS  control 
system.  With  a good  set  of 
downloads  (or  by  creating  your 
own),  you  can  keep  your  hands 
on  the  flight  controls  and  focus 
on  the  game,  rather  than  hunt 
for  that  Alt-Shift-FI  combination. 

Just  as  the  F-22  Pro  is  mod- 
eled on  an  F-16  flight  stick,  the 
TQS  replicates  the  F-16  fighter's 
throttle  quadrant.  Also  like  the  F- 
22  Pro,  it's  complex  and  can  be  a 
pain  to  set  up.  In  fact,  the  TQS 
requires  either  an  F-22  or  F-16 
FLCS  stick  to  work;  it  will  not 
work  with  non-ThrustMaster  joy- 
sticks. Just  figuring  out  the  cable 
connections  can  take  longer  than 
doing  a full  install  of  LONGBOW 
2.  The  DOS-based  programming 
tools  are  equally  arcane,  so  a 
package  like  EZ  Build  is  almost 
essential  to  creating  your  own 
configs.  However,  there  are  many 
available  on  Thrusty's  Web  site, 
and  most  high-end  sims  ship 
with  a ThrustMaster  setup  these 
days.  As  with  the  F-22  Pro,  there 
have  been  reports  of  TQS  down- 
load problems  with  fast  Pentium 
II  systems,  so  be  sure  you  get  the 
fix  from  ThrustMaster's  site. 

The  throttle  also  has  idle  and 
afterburner  detents.  Another 
gizmo,  which  seemed  like  a gim- 
mick when  it  first  came  out,  but  is 
more  useful  with  current  games, 
is  the  mouse  stick.  For  games  that 
use  the  mouse  as  an  active  con- 
trol (FLIGHT  SIMULATOR  98,  for 


instance),  it's  pretty  handy,  but  it 
can  be  a bit  finicky  to  get  work- 
ing. Once  you  get  it  running  and 
start  flying  a complex  sim  like 
JANE'S  F-15,  you  realize  how 
good  this  combination  feels.  It's 
akin  to  a high-end  audio  sys- 
tem— finicky,  annoying  to  set  up, 
but  well  worth  the  effort. 

So  if  you  like  to  fly  sims  like  F- 
1 5 or  F22  ADF  in  ultrarealistic 
mode,  the  F-22  Pro  and  TQS 
combo  has  the  feel  that  matches 
up  with  the  most  realistic  games. 


Throttle  Quadrant  System,  Price: 
S199.95.  Contaa:  ThrusiMaster,  (503) 
615-3200;  www.thrustmaster.com 
PROS:  Idle  and  afterburner  detents; 
lots  of  controls;  good  feel.  CONS:  A 
royal  pain  to  set  up;  arcane  program- 
ming tools;  expensive;  requires  F-16 
FLCS  or  F-22  Pro  stick. 


F‘16  Combat  Stick 

■A-  ★ ★ ★ y? 

CH  Products 
Jane's  Combat  Stick 

A ★ A A y? 

The  F-16  Combat  Stick  is  one 
of  the  best  values  available. 
The  Jane's  stick  is  pricier,  but  has 
a heftier  base  and  offers  chorded 
button  presses  when  paired  with 
a Pro  Throttle.  Qtherwise,  these 
sticks  are  about  identical. 

Joysticks  are  a personal  matter. 
Some  gamers  like  a stiffer  feel  as 


v.conipulerg.iming.( 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


REVOLUTIONARY  3D  STARSIEGE  ENGINE. 

A LETHAL  ARENA  OF  DROP-DEAD  GRAPHICS, 
MUSIC,  SOUNDS,  EFFECTS  AND  GAMEPLAY. 
ANYTHING  ELSE  IS,  WELL,  UNREAL 


COMBAT  VEHICLES.  WHYTRUol 
YOU  CAN  TRANSPORT  YOU  AND 
BUDDIES  IN  SCOUT  FLYERS  ANC 
PERSONNEL  CARRIERS. 


My  ancestors  fought  the  Cybrids  in  the  last  Earthsiege. 

My  great-great-great-great  grandfather  was  among  the  First  Who 
Jumped.  My  father  died  three  jumpgates  back,  killed  by  the 
Blood  Eagle.  I was  born  fifteen  jumpgates  back  on  a world 
we  left  to  the  soft  ones,  Imperial  lackeys.  Now  we're  on 
Septa  Scarabae  IV,  and  I bear  the  dragon  marks  of 
manhood.  The  Starwolfand  the  Diamond  Sword  got 
here  first.  Settled  their  ships,  dug  in.  This  is  a good 
world,  a lush  planet.  We'll  take  it  for  our  people. 


VAST  INTEGRATED  WORLDS.  LB\/ELS  BEGONE. 
PLAYERS  DASH  INDOORS  AND  OUTDODRS  WITH 
NO  LAG  OR  LOADTIMES  WHATSOEVER. 


MOTION  CAPTURE  ANIMATION. 

SKELETAL  ANIMATION?  NO.  FLUID,  FULL-MOTION 
BODY  MOVEMENTS?  YEP. 


TRUE  TERRAIN'^' LANDSCAPES.  YES, 
THERE’S  A SINFULLY  REAL  WORLD  0 
EVEN  WEATHER! 


THE  ULTIMATE  Al.  CEREBRAL 


CORTEX  1/5.  CEREBRAL  CORTEX. 
STANDARD  MULTIPLAYER  COMBAT, 
PLUS  SCRIPTED  TEAM  MISSIONS 
AND  INGENIOUS  OBJECTIVES. 


DEDICATED  COMMANDER. 

ONE  LEADER  PER  TRIBE,  SCOPING  THE 
NASTIES,  DEPLOYING  THE  TROOPS, 
CALLING  THE  SHOTS  - LIKE  A TRUE 
COMMANDER  AND  CONQUERER. 


WELCOME  TO  SOMETHING  COMPLETELY  DIFFERENT  - TRIBES’."  A UNIQUE  FIRST- 
PERSON  SHOOTER  SET  IN  THE  STARSIEGE  UNIVERSE.  COMBINING  BREATHTAKING 
VISUAL  DISPLAYS  WITH  SEAMLESS  GAMEPLAY,  TRIBES  REVOLUTIONIZES  THE 
WORLD  OF  MULTIPLAYER  SQUAD-LEVEL  GAMES. 


WWW.STARSIEGE.COM 


AjiltRRA  COMPANY 


© 1998  Sierra  On- 


rigiiis  reserved.  © and  TM  designaie  irademarks  i 


Go  to  #187  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


FLIGHT  CONTROLLERS 


CH  Products 
Jane’s  Combat  Stick  and 
F-16  Combat  Stick 


in  the  ThustMaster  models;  others 
prefer  the  light,  precise  feel  of  the 
CH  line.  For  casual  flying,  except 
when  flying  something  like  JANE’S 
F-15,  where  using  an  F-22  Pro 
seems  like  the  right  thing  to  do,  I 
find  most  of  my  joystick  time  is 
spent  with  the  F-1 6 Combat  Stick, 

Both  sticks  vaguely  resemble 
the  stick  in  the  F-16  Fighting 
Falcon,  though  not  to  the  level  of 
detail  of  the  ThrustMaster  ver- 
sions. The  button  placement  makes 
these  models  useful  for  right- 
handers only.  There  are  a pair  of 
hat  switches,  four  buttons,  a trig- 
ger switch,  and  a throttle  slider.  As 
with  most  CH  sticks,  the  F-16 
series  also  has  trim  controls, 
a godsend  if  you  need  to 
do  a quick  recalibration 
while  in  a furball. 

The  two  sticks  have 
much  the  same  feel — 
a long  throw  coupled 
with  a light  action  and 
precise  centering.  Both 
now  have  Directinput 
drivers,  a boon  when  you're 
playing  Directinput-aware 
Windows  95  games.  You  can  set 
up  keystroke  assignments  within 
the  game  for  all  the  buttons,  not 
just  two  or  four.  Both  sticks  offer 
solid  value,  are  extremely  durable, 
and  are  easy  to  set  up  and  use, 

Jane's  Combat  Stick  and  F-16 
Combat  Stick,  Price:  S129  MSRP 
(Jane's):  S99.95  MSRP  (F-16).  Contact: 
CH  Products,  (760)  598-2518; 
www.chproducts.com 

PROS:  Long  throw;  precise  centering; 
comfortable,  light  feel.  CONS:  Not  the 
most  realistic  sticks;  not  programmable. 


CH  Products 
Pro  Throttle 

★ ★ ★ ★ A 

The  Pro  Throttle  makes  no  claims 
at  looking  or  behaving  realisti- 
cally— but  this  isn't  necessarily  a 
bad  thing.  Instead  of  using  an 
arced  throttle  movement,  the  Pro 
Throttle  mounts  on  a big  slider.  The 
result  is  a very  smooth  movement 
that  makes  it  easy  to  replicate  spe- 
cific settings  when  sliding  back  and 
forth.  This  eliminates  the  need  for 
idle  and  afterburner  detents. 


There  are  a total  of  foiifhat 
switches  and  four  buttons  on  the 
Pro  Throttle.  The  big  grip  is  quite 
comfortable,  and  you  can  either 
wrap  your  hand  around  it  or,  as  I 
often  do,  just  rest  your  palm  on 
the  handle.  The  really  cool  thing 
about  the  Pro  Throttle  is  that  it 
makes  any  standard  joystick  a pro- 
grammable stick  (it  won't  work 
with  a programmable  stick).  It 
mates  particularly  well  with  CH's 
own  Jane's  Combat  Stick, 


The  Pro  Throttle  originally 
shipped  with  DOS-based  program- 
ming tools,  but  CH  has  since 
shipped  SpeedyKeys,  a Windows- 
based  tool  that  allows  for  "point- 
and-click"  programming  of  the 
Pro  Throttle. 

The  Pro  Throttle  is  a solid  effort 
from  CH.  If  you  don't  need  some- 
thing that  looks  as  if  it  was  ripped 
out  of  a fighter  cockpit,  this  throttle 
will  give  you  years  of  service. 

Pro  Throttle,  Price:  S189.95.  Contact: 
CH  Products.  (760)  598-2518; 
www.chproducts.com 

PROS:  Smooth  sliding  molian;  hefty 
paim-rest.  CONS:  Not  the  most  realistic 
throttle  around. 


Sajtek  X36 

A A ★ A 7k 

Saitek  burst  onto  the  high-end 
flight  stick  scene  last  year  with 
its  X36  combo  pack.  Unpack  the 
fairly  compact  box  and  you  find  a 
massive  throttle  unit  and  a joystick 
that  looks  like  something  that 
could  have  been  in  a Star  Wars  B- 
wing  bomber.  The  stick  even  has  a 
knuckle  guard — just  the  thing  to 
repel  boarders,  I suppose. 

As  with  a lot  of  high-end  sticks, 
the  Saitek  gear  is  programmable. 
Early  versions  of  the  X36  pro- 
gramming software  were  a little 
clumsy,  but  it's  been  improved. 
One  minor  issue:  The  cable  that 
emerges  from  the  required  key- 
board pass-through  can  make  it 
hard  to  plug  into  some  ATX-style 
motherboards,  so  exercise  a little 
caution  when  you  install  it. 

The  throttle  unit  is  even  bigger 
than  the  ThrustMaster  TQS,  though 
it  feels  more  comfortable.  There's  a 
rocker  switch  on  the  underside  for 
rudder  functionality;  if  you  already 
have  rudders,  you  can  deactivate  it 
through  the  download  software. 
Like  the  TQS,  the  Saitek  has  idle 
and  afterburner  detents. 

The  Saitek  stick  works  with 
DOS  games  in  a Windows  95  DOS 
box  and  even  in  plain  old  DOS, 
though  the  programming  soft- 
ware works  only  in  Windows  95, 

A DOS  utility  can  download  Saitek 
programs  to  the  stick  from  the 


Whither  USB 
and  Force 
Feedback? 


I had  the  chance  to  chat 
with  Bob  Wudeck 
(Logitech's  joystick 
product  manager)  and 
Patrick  Hewitt  (Thrust- 
Master's  point  man  on 
flight  controllers)  and  got 
their  thoughts  on  USB, 
human  interface  devices, 
and  force  feedback. 

Both  agreed  that  the  key 
point  of  USB  is  to  stan- 
dardize connectivity  and 
get  away  from  the  limita- 
tions of  the  PC  game  port. 
Wudeck  made  the  point 
that  you  could  actually  mix 
multiple  controllers  from 
different  vendors.  Think  of 
it:  If  you  like  the  TQS  throt- 
tle from  ThrustMaster, 
you’re  locked  into  the  FLCS 
or  F-22  Pro.  Wouldn't  it  be 
great  to  have  a TQS  and  a 
stick  like  Suncom's  Talon? 
Hewitt  noted  that  with 
multiple  devices  connect- 
ed— each  with  multiple 
axes — you  would  no 
longer  be  constrained  by 
the  four-axis  limitation  of 
the  PC  game  port.  Also, 

USB  devices  would  identify 
themselves  to  the  applica- 
tion and  the  operating  sys- 
tem, making  it  easier  for 
game  programmers  to 
have  "instant  customizabil- 
ity." Another  interesting 
issue  is  two-way  communi- 
cation, vital  for  force-feed- 
back  sticks.  With  two-way 
communication,  you  could 
have  an  "active"  MFD  with 
an  LCD  display,  combined 
with  a touch-screen. 

Rnally,  Wudeck  pointed 
out  that  force  feedback 
makes  software  design 
even  more  critical,  to 
avoid  the  "joystick  on  a 
motor"  effect.  It's  likely 
that  force  designers  may 
become  key  members  of 
some  game  design  teams. 

So  it's  looking  as  if  the 
future  of  USB  and  force 
feedback  is  bright.  The 
goal  now  is  to  get  proper 
software  support.  For  that, 
you’ll  need  Windows  98 
and  DirectX  6 — which 
means  yet  another  soft- 
ware upgrade  cycle. 


^ COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1 998 


Li.computergaming.c 


P2r±ma.  <ionus.s  welcome 
@ WWW  • ^'ir'e'fc  earn,  com 


Buy  FireTeam  direct  @ www.fireteain.com  or  1.888.689.TEAM 

©1998  Mullitude.  Inc.  FireTeam  and  the  FireTeam  and  Multitude  logos 
are  trademarks  of  Multitude,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved. 


'riFRin 


Go  to  #254  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


(I! 


DOS  prompt  or  a DOS  batch  file.  Like  many  of 
these  keyboard  pass-through  devices,  the  X36 
had  some  problems  with  fast  keyboard  con- 
trollers. Saitek  has  posted  an  updated  driver 
that  should  fix  this  problem. 

The  overall  feel  of  the  stick  is  just  a little 
mushy;  it  doesn't  center  as  crisply  as  the  F-22 
Pro.  or  even  the  Combat  Stick.  The  button  place- 
ment works  fairly  well,  although  the  master 
weapons  flip-up  is  a bit  goofy.  The  hat  switches 
seem  pretty  solid,  and  the  pinky  trigger  button  is 
a nice  touch.  The  throttle  feels  very  solid,  and 
finding  the  same  position  is  fairly  easy;  the  knobs 
and  buttons  seem  well  placed.  The  rudder  control 
seems  counterintuitive,  but  I'm  a diehard  rudder 
pedals  user.  The  X36  is  a solid  combination  for 
the  price,  so  if  your  wallet  has  been  groaning  at 
the  thought  of  the  F-22  Pro,  consider  the  X36. 

X36,  Price:  S149.95.  Contact:  Saitek.  (310)  212-5412; 
www.saitek.com 

PROS:  Low  price,  high-end  functionality;  throttle  (eels 
very  comfortable.  CONS:  Stick  just  a tad  mushy;  rudder 
rocker  switch  lakes  some  getting  used  to. 


Suncom  F-15E  Talon 

★ A ★ ★ 

The  first  thing  you  notice  about  the  Talon  is 
its  size.  In  truth,  it's  slightly  smaller  than 
the  F-22  Pro.  but  it  looks  more  massive.  The 
base  even  has  a smaller  desk  footprint  than  the 
F-22  Pro's,  but  it's  nicely  weighted.  It  uses  a 
keyboard  pass-through  to  execute  keyboard 
commands.  Programming  the  stick  is  interest- 
ing— and  easy.  There's  no  programming  soft- 
ware or  downloads  to  worry  about.  Instead, 
you  simply  put  the  stick  into  programming 
mode,  then  press  each  button,  followed  by  the 
keystroke  combination  you  want.  Changes  can 
be  made  on  the  fly,  too.  The  Talon  can  hold  up 
to  four  different  programs.  The  downside  is  you 
can't  have  more  than  four  programs  present — 
adding  another  game  means  you  have  to 
replace  an  existing  setup.  If  you  then  want  to 
play  a game  whose  programming  no  longer 
exists,  you  need  to  start  over  from  scratch.  Still, 
most  people  I know  aren't  playing  more  than 


four  complex  sims  at  a time,  so  this  may 
not  be  a major  issue  to  a lot  of  people. 

The  Talon  is  big.  modeled  after  the  actual 
stick  in  the  McDonnell-Douglas  F-15  Eagle. 
As  such,  users  with  small  hands  might  have 
problems  reaching  the  switches  and  but- 
tons high  on  the  stick. 

The  overall  feel  of  this  stick  is  superb. 
Suncom  uses  something  it  calls  Direct  Drive. 
The  stick's  resistance  is  the  same  in  all  direc- 
tions, including  the  corners,  making  for  a 
much  more  predictable  response.  The  Talon 
behaved  very  well  in  several  different  sims. 

Given  the  solid  feel  of  the  Talon  and  its 
relatively  low  price,  it's  a worthwhile  con- 
tender for  your  joystick  dollar. 

F-  15E  Talon,  Price:  S59.95.  Contact:  Suncom, 
(847)  229-0002;  www.suncominc.com 

PROS:  Great  feel;  easy  programmability;  relatively 
low  price.  CONS:  Can't  hold  more  than  four  pro- 
grams; can't  store  programs  offline;  not  for  small 
hands;  no  real  integrated  throttle. 


Product  Name 

Vendor/Phone 

URL 

1. 

Sidewinder  Force  Feedback  Pro 

Microsoft  (425)  882-8080 

www.microsoft.com/hardware 

2. 

CH  Force  FX 

CH  Products  (760)  598-2518 

www.chproducts.com 

3. 

F-22  Pro 

ThrustMaster  (503)  615-3200 

www.thrustma5ter.com 

4. 

TQS 

ThrustMaster  (503)  615-3200 

www.thrustmaster.com 

5. 

Jane's  Combat  Stick 

CH  Products  (760)  598-2518 

www.chproducts.com 

6. 

F-16  Combat  Stick 

CH  Products  (760)  598-2518 

www.chproducts.com 

7. 

Pro  Throttle 

CH  Products  (760)  598-2518 

www.chproducts.com 

8. 

Saitek  J(3G 

Saitek  (310)  212-5412 

www.saitek.com 

9. 

F-15E  Talon 

Suncom  (847)  229-0002 

www.suncominc.com 

10. 

SFS  Throttle 

Suncom  (847)  229-0002 

www.suncominc.com 

1 11.  Rudder  Control  System 

ThrustMaster  (503)  615-3200 

www.thru5tmaster.com 

12. 

Elite  Pedals 

ThrustMaster  (503)  615-3200 

www.thrustmaster.com 

13. 

MasterPilot  & Programmer 

Quickshot  (408)  263-4163 

www.quickshot.com 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


/.compulergJniing.c 


Suncom  Strike 
Fighter  Series 
Throttle 

★ ★ A ★ ★ 

Like  the  F-15E  Talon,  also 
from  Suncom,  the  SFS 
Throttle  looks  like  a serious 
piece  of  hardware — and  it  is. 

The  last  time  I saw  a throttle 
like  this,  I was  sitting  in  the 
right  seat  of  a twin-engine 
bush  plane  weaving  through 
the  fjords  of  New  Zealand.  Each 
half  of  the  throttle  takes  up  one 
joystick  axis — and  therein  lies 
its  chief  weakness.  The  second 
throttle  uses  the  axis  normally 
used  by  rudder  pedals.  This 
throttle  also  proves  to  be  prob- 
lematic when  paired  up  with  a 
ThrustMaster  FCS-style  stick,  in 
which  the  hat  takes  up  a joy- 
stick axis.  However,  there  is  a 
button  on  the  throttle  that 
deactivates  the  left  half. 

Suncom  also  wisely  supplies  a 
Windows  95  .INF  file  that  adds 
various  custom  setups,  both  with 
and  without  the  left  throttle,  in 
the  joystick  control  panel  applet. 

Programming  the  throttle  is 
much  like  programming  the  F-1 5E 
Talon  flight  stick.  First,  put  the 
throttle  into  program  mode.  Next, 
press  and  hold  the  button  you 
want  to  program;  then  press  the 
keystroke  combination  on  the  key- 
board. Release  the  button,  and  it's 
programmed.  Unfortunately,  the 
SFS  Throttle  holds  only  two 


programs.  There  have  been  reports 
of  chorded  {multiple  simultane- 
ous) keystrokes  not  being  recog- 
nized by  games,  but  1 didn't  expe- 
rience this  problem.  As  with  the 
TQS  and  Saitek  throttles,  there  are 
idle  and  afterburner  detents, 
though  the  stops  feel  a bit  vague. 

The  throttle  has  a big  desk 
footprint  and  comes  with  suction 
cups  to  hold  it  firmly  to  your  desk- 
top. While  this  throttle  works  very 
well  with  the  F-1 5E  Talon,  it  also 
works  well  with  any  standard, 


nonprogrammable  joystick.  Given 
its  price,  you  might  consider  buy- 
ing one  even  if  you  have  rudder 
pedals  and  don't  want  to  use  the 
left  throttle.  It  works  pretty  well, 
and  it  looks  like  something  any 
multiengine  fighter  pilot  would 
feel  right  at  home  with. 

SFS  Throttle,  Price:  $89.95.  Contact: 
Suncom,  (847)  229-0002;  www.suncom- 
inc.com 

PROS:  Easy  programmability:  way 
cool  looking;  works  with  most  sticks. 
CONS:  Can  hold  only  two  programs; 
takes  two  game  port  axes. 


Rating 

Pricing 

Windows  Front  End? 

Works  with? 

4.0 

$149.95 

Yes 

13 

3.5 

$99.00 

No 

7,10,11,12,13  i 

4.5 

$219.95 

Yes  (third  party) 

4,11,12,13' 

4.5 

$199.95 

Yes  (third  party) 

3,11,12,13 

4.0 

$129.95 

Yes 

7,11,12,13 

4.5 

$99.95 

Yes 

7,11,12,13  1 

4.0 

$189.95 

Yes 

2,  5,  7,11,12,13 

4.0 

$149.95 

Yes 

11,12,13 

4.5 

$59.95 

No  (no  software  needed) 

10, 11,12, 

4.0 

$89.95 

No  (no  software  needed) 

2,  5, 6.  9, 11,12, 13  il 

4.5 

$109.95 

N/A" 

4.0 

$79.95 

N/A 

BE  I 

4.5 

$79.95 

Yes 

All  “ ■ 

Quickshot  MasterPilot 
& MasterPilot 
Programmer 

A A A ★ ★ 

Another  cool  add-on  for  seri- 
ous fly-boys  is  Quickshot’s 
MasterPilot/MasterPilot  Program- 
mer combination.  The  MasterPilot 
resembles  a miniature  MFD  (multi- 
function display),  with  buttons 
surrounding  the  "display."  In  fact, 
the  display  area  is  for  cardboard 
key  templates.  The  MasterPilot 
Programmer  (MPP)  is  an  essential 
addition,  and  is  a basically  an 
EEPROM  burner  whose  program- 
ming interface  is  simplicity  itself. 
You  use  the  Windows-based  pro- 
gram to  highlight  a representation 
of  a MasterPilot  button,  type  in 
the  key  sequence,  then  go  to  the 
next  button.  You  can  save  files 
and  download  them  later.  You  can 
store  multiple  programs  (up  to 
five)  in  one  cartridge. 

Using  the  MasterPilot  is  a snap. 
The  active  buttons  surround  the 
"display"  (the  center  is  not  touch 
sensitive,  unlike  with  the  PC 

Continued  on  page  232 


FLIGHT  CONTROLLERS 


Suncom  Strike  Fighter  Series  Throttie 


womputergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMiNG  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


When  it  comes  to  3D  gaming, 
how  sharp  is  yours? 

upgradeable  to  t6MB 


Mystique  G200 
The  fastest  acceleration  for 
20/3D  enlerlainment 


Rainbow  Runner  G-Series 
Video  editing  and  TV  tuner  upgrade 
$149  ESP 

Matrox  DVD  Video 

Hardware  DVD  video  upgrade 
Available  03  '98 

$79  ESP 


Take  the  Matrox  video  card  quiz  and  find  out.  Can  you... 

□ Run  Forsaken'"  at  over  100  frames  per  second?  □ Go  blind  with  brilliant  2D  Windows''’98 performance? 

□ Play  Jedi  Knight'"  at  1280x1024  resolution?  □ Brag  about  your  full  AGP2x  performance? 

□ Get  Vibrant  Color  Quality  for  Quake  il'“?  D Couch  surf  with  DVD  video  and  PC  to  TV  displays? 

□ Smooth  everything  over  with  per-pixelTrilinear  filtering?  □ Ride  the  1 28-bit  DualBus? 

Q Upgrade  to  a whopping  16MB  of  memory?  Q Thank  God  you  didn’t  buy  that  expensive  3D-only  card? 

if  you  answered  Yes  to  all  of  the  above,  you're  already  playing  on  a new  Mystique  G200  video  card.  Nice  Work! 
As  for  the  rest  of  you.  Not  too  sharp.  Ditch  that  dull  video  card  and  get  a Mystique  G200. 

>■  Visit  our  web  site  at  www.matrox.com/mqa  or  call  1 -800-362-9349 

lh(o|WI^C 


Go  to  #124  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


mcilfox 


SEARCH  OF  THE  ULTIMATE  GAMING  MACHINE 


Matrox  Readies  Next 
Generation  MGA-G200 


Matrox  has  been  a bit  quiet 
lately,  but  the  company  is 
finally  shown  signs  of  life 
with  its  new 
G200  series  2D/3D-acce!erator 
chip.  The  G200  is  a full-function 
3D  accelerator — no  more  com- 
promises on  features.  It  looks  as 
though  our  friends  in  Montreal 
have  learned  well  the  hard 
lessons  of  the  Mystique. 

The  G200  supports  32-bit  rendering 
throughout  the  pipeline,  an  asynchronous 
bi-directional  64-blt  bus  that  Matrox  calls  a 
"Dual-Bus.”  It's  not  truly  128  bits  wide,  but 
the  bi-directional  64-bit  data  transfers  can 
run  as  fast  as,  or  faster  than,  some  1 28-bit 


accelerators.  Ail  the  features  you'd  expect 
from  DirectBD  5.0  are  there,  too:  bilinear  and 
trilinear  filtering,  alpha  transparency,  full  fog 
effects  {but  not  fog  table),  and 
antialiasing  (via  supersampling).  We 
took  a look  at  an  early  beta  board 
and  we  like  what  we've  seen  so  far. 
The  2D  scores  are  as  speedy  as  you 
would  expect  from  a Matrox  board. 
We  weren't  able  to  run  a full  3D 
GameGauge  test  (the  OpenGL 
drivers  won't  be  ready  until  final  products 
based  on  the  G200  ship),  but  the  DirectBD 
games  from  3D  GameGauge  look  pretty 
solid.  As  it  stands  now,  Matrox's  G200  looks 
to  be  the  fastest  2D/3D  card  around — for  a 
few  weeks,  anyway.  — Loyd  Case 


Uh-Oh:  nVidia  Hit  with 
Double-Whammy  Litigation 


Chip  maker  nVidia  has  been  rid- 
ing high  on  the  success  of  its 
RIVA  128  2D/3D  accelerator, 
and  with  its  RIVA  128ZX  now  shipping, 
and  the  TNT  accelerator  on  the  horizon, 
it  would  seem  nVidia  is  the  company  to 
beat  nowadays.  But  all  is  not  well  in 
RlVA-land.The  company  has  been 
served  with  separate  lawsuits  from  S3 
and  SGI,  and  while  nVidia  states  that  it 
will  "vigorously  defend"  itself  in  both 
cases,  this  litigation  could  stall  ship- 
ments of  RiVA  128ZX  parts  and  delay 
the  rollout  of  TNT  parts  later  this  fail. 

S3  has  alleged  that  nVidia  has 
infringed  on  three  patents  pertaining  to 
VGA  control  circuitry  (acquired  from 
Cirrus  Logic),  scalable  video  windows, 
and  methods  for  mixing  video  and 
graphics  data.  Based  on  that  last 
charge,  we're  waiting  for  S3  to  sue 
everyone  else  in  the  graphics  universe, 
as  well.  It's  too  early  to  say  whether 
this  litigation  has  any  teeth,  but  accord- 
ing to  Michael  Hara,  nVidia's  business 


development  manager,  "The  mood  here 
is  very  upbeat,  and  we're  focusing  on 
getting  the  RIVA  TNT  out."  A prelimi- 
nary injunction  to  halt  shipments  of  all 
RIVA  processors  could  be  imposed  as 
you  read  this. 

On  the  3D  front,  SGI  has  filed  a law- 
suit alleging  that  nVidia  has  infringed 
upon  SGI  intellectual  property  (IP) 
regarding  an  implementation  of  texture 
caching  and  texture  interpolation.  In 
return,  nVidia  asserts  that  SGI's  lawsuit 
is  motivated  by  vendetta,  because  sev- 
eral 3D  architects  have  left  SGI  to  join 
nVidia,  and  that  these  former  SGI 
employees  "had  no  involvement  in  the 
design  of  nVidia's  current  RIVA  graphics 
processors,  which  are  the  subject  of  the 
alleged  patent  infringement."  Again, 
the  outcome  of  this  lawsuit  is  still  very 
much  up  in  the  air,  but  if  a court  rules 
in  favor  of  SGI  or  S3  in  either  of  these 
cases,  it  could  cast  a very  dark  cloud 
over  nVidia's  1998  outlook,  not  to  men- 
tion its  pending  IPO.  — Dave  Salvator 


Technology  Horizon  Watch 


nVidia  RIVA  TIUT  This  is  nVidia's  next-genera- 
tion 2D/30  graphics  accelerator,  which  may  well 
out-perform  two — yes  two — Voodoo^  boards  run- 
ning SLI.  The  TNT  should  have  a fill  rate  of  200- 
2S0IV1pixels/sec,  as  compared  to  twin  Voodooes, 
which  are  generally  in  the  180-200Mpixels/sec 
range.  ETA;  Q3  '98 

3Dfx  Banshee  This  will  be  3Dfx's  first  integrated 
2D/3D  accelerator.  The  Banshee  will  also  be  3Dfx's 
first  large-scale  entree  into  the  lucrative  OEM/sys- 
tem makers  side  of  the  graphics  business,  in  which 
about  two-thirds  of  all  graphics  chips  are  sold. 
Performance  numbers  on  the  as-yet-unannounced 
part  are  very  sketchy,  but  we've  heard  rumors  that 
its  2D  performance  will  be  very  competitive,  which 
was  a weakness  in  3Dfx's  Voodoo  Rush  chipset. 

ETA:  Q4  '98 

FireWire  Also  known,  as  IEEE  1394,  this  is  a high- 
bandwidth  bus  (400Megabits/sec,  or 
50Megabytes/sec)  that  will  support  high-quality 
digital  video,  hard  drives,  and  other  storage 
devices.  Al!  FireWire  devices  will  be  hot-swappable, 
meaning  you  can  attach/detach  devices  and  imme- 
diately be  able  to  use  them  while  your  machine  is 
still  turned  on.  ETA:  Q4  '98 

AMD  K6  3D-I-  AMD's  next  X86  CPU  will  feature 
AMD's  own  set  of  floating-point  instruction  exten- 
sions designed  specifically  to  accelerate  Direct3D's 
geometry  engine.  These  new  instructions  could 
very  well  give  AMO  a floating-point  performance 
edge  over  Intel — an  industry  first — at  least  until 
Intel's  Katmai  processors  ship.  ETA:  Q2  '98 

Intel  Katmai  Intel's  next  round  of  CPUs,  with 
anticipated  clock  speeds  of  450-500MHz.  In  addi- 
tional to  the  higher  clock  speed,  Katmai  CPUs  will 
also  feature  what  Intel  has  clumsily  dubbed 
"Katmai  New  Instructions,"  a name  given  to  avoid 
calling  these  new  instruction-set  extensions  MMK2. 
Among  the  other  things  these  instructions  will 
speed  up  will  be  Direct3D's  geometry  engine  (in 
DX6),  allowing  these  CPUs  to  crank  more  polygons 
per  second.  ETA;  Q4  '98 

Intel  IA-64  Intel's  next-next-generation  of  proces- 
sors will  be  a substantial  departure  from  its  tradi- 
tional X86  CISC-based  architecture.  This  new  64-bit 
CPU  will  use  a new  set  of  Very  Long  instruction 
Word  (VLIW)  instructions,  and  use  a technology 
termed  EPIC  (Explicitly  Parallel  Instruction 
Computing)  to  facilitate  execution  of  instructions 
in  parallel.  ETA:  Q4  '99 


v.compule/gaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


In  our  DISTINGIHSHED  1 1 1 YEAR  HISTORY, 


YaAIAHA  has  CR^YFEED  'HIE  FINEST  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS  AND  MOST 


ACCITRATE  AUDIO  COMPONENTS  IN  THE  WORLD.  NOW  IT  S TIME  TO... 


iPMEFORCE " 


“ Lightening  Fast  PCI  Bus ' Unlimited  Sounds  via  DLS  3D  Positional  Audio  YAMAHA  XS 

» Incredible  Sound  Effects  676  Sounds'  2i  Drum  Kits  Physical  Modeling  •- 

Synthesizer  ••  Wavetable  Synthesizer  - Outstanding  Digital  Effects  ■ Full  Duplex  ' 

Record  & Playback  “ Powerful  Software  Bundle  ' )J  . ■ - ■: 

For  more  information,  please  call 
<800)823-6414  ext.  403A,  vvww.vamaha.con 
tUfltro  (iiiffi  ■ 1^1998  Yamaha  Corporation  of  Amenca. 

Wmi*  P.0,  Sox  6600.  Buena  Park  CA  90622-6600 


Go  to  #101  @ www.computergamlng.com/lnfollnk 


Hi 


studio  Quality  Sound  that 


HOOD 


Stupid  Human  Tricks 

Or,  Brilliant  Boneheaded  Blunders  Revealed 


I hen  I get  a lech- 
f nical  question,  it 
often  begins,  "I 
think  I may  have 
done  something 
reaiiy  stupid." 
This  usualiy 
revoives  around 
some  kind  of  installation  issue.  All 
I can  say  to  any  of  you  is  that  if 
you  think  you've  done  something 
stupid,  well,  you've  got  nothing 
on  me.  I've  committed  more  than 
my  share  of  great  gaffes — worse. 
I've  done  some  of  them  over  and 
over  again.  Here  are  a few  of 
my...  uh...  favorites. 

The  Mystery  of  the 
Hard  Drive  Lockup 

Recently,  1 installed  Windows 
98  Release  Candidate  2 on  my 
production  system.  (Those  of  you 
who  are  wincing  are  right — what 
the  heck  was  I thinking?) 

After  the  install,  my  system 
mysteriously  began  locking  up. 
Usually,  one  of  my  two  hard  drives 
would  seize  up.  I thought  I had  a 
hard-drive  problem,  and  I thought 
it  was  because  of  Windows  98,  so 


I tried  all  kinds  of  things,  including 
installing  updates,  uninstalling 
features,  and  so  on.  Nothing 
worked.  I began  contemplating 
either  moving  to  Nepal  or  restor- 
ing Windows  95  to  my  system.  The 
situation  got  so  bad  that  one 


my  system  case.  I slapped  in  the 
new  drive  and  boxed  up  the  old 
one  to  send  to  the  vendor.  You 
may  imagine  my  unprintable  mut- 
terings  about  incompetent  hard- 
drive  companies. 

I rebooted,  and  everything 
worked  for  a bit.  Then  the  hard 
drive  seized  up— the  new  one, 
that  is.  I stared  at  my  still-open 
case,  and  then  ripped  out  the 
removable  drive  bay  and  closely 
examined  the  two  hard  drives. 
Guess  what?  They  were  both  ter- 
minated. Here  I was,  with  two 
SCSI  drives  in  the  middle  of  the 
chain,  and  the  termination  was 
active  on  both.  After  doing  a 
Charlie  Brown  and  banging  my 


you  actually  did  it.  Always  go  back 
and  check  the  obvious.  I positively 
knew  I couldn't  do  something  as 
dumb  as  forgetting  to  remove  the 
termination  jumpers.  Oh,  well. 

The  PIIX4 
Mystery  Patch 

Windows  95,  up  through  OSR 
2.5,  doesn't  really  understand  the 
PI  1X4  chip.  This  chip  is  part  of  the 
Intel  430TX,  440LX,  and  440BX 
chipsets.  In  the  course  of  perform- 
ing so  many  product  tests,  I get  to 
install  Windows  95.  A lot. 

So  there  I am,  swearing  at  the 
system  because  of  some  weird 
glitch,  like  an  IRQ  not  being 
assigned  to  a graphics  card  that 


limply  because  you  knew  the  righUhjn 
TO  do,  doesn't  met 


mean  you  actually  did  J 


Saturday  afternoon,  I rushed  out 
to  a computer  shop  and  bought  a 
new  hard  drive. 

As  many  of  you  know,  I use 
SCSI  peripherals.  So  here  I was,  in 
the  heat  of  anger,  ripping  open 


head  on  the  wall,  I removed  the 
termination  jumpers,  and  every- 
thing has  worked  perfectly  since. 

The  moral  of  the  story  is  this: 
Simply  because  you  knew  the 
right  thing  to  do,  doesn't  mean 


Email  Notes 

As  you  can  probably  guess,  I get  tons  of  email.  The 
messages  take  one  of  several  forms,  for 
the  most  part.  There's  the  "Can 
you  answer  this  question,”  in  which 
people  try  to  get  a little  tech  sup- 
port— which  is  a sad  commen- 
tary on  the  state  of  companies' 
own  tech  support.  Then  there's 
the  “What  {insert  device  here] 
should  I buy?"  Most  often,  these  con- 
cern either  whole  systems  or  3D  graphics  cards.  Finally, 
there's  the  "Did  you  know...?"  in  which  people  let  me  in 
on  their  favorite  new  gear  (I  love  these  messages). 


I like  reading  email,  and  I respond  to  most  of  it. 
However,  I want  to  lay  down  a few  ground  rules.  First  if 
you  have  some  kind  of  technical  question,  please 
tell  me  your  system  specs.  If  you  don't  I'll  have 
to  ask  you  in  a reply,  which  makes  the  process 
harder  than  it  has  to  be.  Second,  include  your 
complete  email  address  in  the  header,  so  I can 
just  hit  "reply."  I promise  on  a stack  of  CGWs 
that  I won't  turn  your  address  over  to  spammers. 
Finally,  if  you're  telling  me  about  something  cool,  give 
me  a contact  whether  it's  a phone  number  or  a URL 
Oh,  by  the  way,  loyd@uncertainty.com  is  my  brand  new 
email  address. 


requires  it.  Every  time  this  hap- 
pens, I go  to  the  Device  Manager, 
and  discover  a host  of  system 
devices  under  the  dreaded  "?" 
heading.  Ya  know,  minor  things 
like  the  PCI  bus,  or  the  PCI-to-ISA 
bridge.  Naturally,  1 scratch  my 
head,  then  I realize  that  I haven't 
installed  the  PIIX4  patch.  And  this 
happens  to  me  nearly  every 
damned  time. 

This " patch " is  really  just  an 
INF  file  that  describes  the  mother- 
board resource  list  to  Windows 
95.  Without  it,  Windows  uses  its 
own  files,  which  are  now  out- 
dated. Most  system  and  mother- 
board vendors  supply  a floppy  or 
CD  with  the  PIIX4  update.  After 
installing  it — it's  like  reinstalling 
the  OS — Windows  suddenly  dis- 
covers a trove  of  new  devices. 

Continued  on  163 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 


A 


These  are  our  top  picks  for  each  component  of  your  system.*  You  can  use  this  list  to  build  your 
dream  system  all  at  once,  or  to  upgrade  select  components.  All  products  have  been  tested  using 
Ziff-Davis  benchmarks  and/or  a variety  of  games.  Compiled  by  Dave  Salvator  and  Loyd  Case 


MO  HOLDS 

BARRED 

COMPONENT 

PRODUCT 

PRICE 

WEB  ADDRESS 

Motherboard 

ASUSP2B-LS 

$400 

www.asus.com 

CPU 

Pentium  11/400 

$750 

www.intel.com 

Memory 

128MB  PC100  SDRAM 

$400 

N/A 

Disk  Controller 

Built-in  Ultra2  SCSI 

N/A 

N/A 

Primary  Graphics 

Canopus  Total3D/128V  AGP 

$229 

www.canopuscorp.com 

Secondary  Graphics 

QuantumBD  Obsidian  X24 

S595 

www.quantum3d.com 

Hard  Drive 

Seagate  Cheetah  9LP 

$1,000 

www.seagate.com 

CD-ROM /DVD 

Plextor  Ultraplex 

$225 

www.plextor.com 

Monitor 

21 -inch  Trinitron 

$1,500 

www.sony.com 

Primary  Audio 

Diamond  Monster  Sound  MX200 

$115 

www.diamondmm.com 

MIDI 

Roland  SCD-15 

$180 

www.edirol.com 

Secortdary  Audio 

AWE-64  Gold 

$150 

www.soundblaster.com 

Speakers 

LFT-11 

$600 

www.eminent-tech.com 

Modem 

3Com  ImpactlQ 

$200 

www.3com.com 

Networking 

Built-in  Intel  10/100  chip 

N/A 

N/A 

Case 

In-Win  IQ500 

$115 

www.in-win.com 

Power  Supply 

Turfaocool  300 

$129 

www.pcpowercooling.com 

Keyboard 

MS  Natural  Keyboard 

S’69 

www.microsoft.com/hardware 

Mouse/Pointinq  Device 

Logitech  Mouseman  Plus 

$59 

www.logitech.com 

Action  Game  Controller 

Rage  3D 

$29 

www.saitek.com 

Flight  Controls 

Saitek  X-36 -pThrustMaster  RCS 

$229 

www.thrustmaster.com 

Driving  Controls 

TSW 

$360 

http://soli.inav.net/-thoma5/ 

LEAN  & MEAN 


COMPONENT 

PRODUCT 

PRICE 

WEB  ADDRESS 

Motherboard 

ABIT  BX6 

$149 

www.abit.com.lw 

CPU 

Pentium  11/300 

$375 

www.intel.com 

Memory 

64M8  SDRAM 

$115 

N/A 

Disk  Controller 

Built-in  UDMA/33 

SO 

N/A 

Primary  Graphics 

Real3D  Starfighter 

$140 

www.real3d.com 

Secondary  Graphics 

Diamond  Monster  3D  II  SMB 

$220 

www.diamondmm.com 

Hard  Drive 

Seagate  Medalist  Pro  6.5 

$350 

www.seagate.com 

CD-ROM /DVD 

Asus  34X  CD  drive 

$90 

www.asu5.com 

Monitor 

Optiquest  Q71 

$350 

www.optiquest.com 

Primary  Audio 

Turtle  Beach  Montego 

$99 

www.voyetra.com 

Speakers 

Cambridge  PC  Works 

$99 

www.bo5tonacoustics.com 

Modem 

US  Robotics  V.90 

$150 

www.3com.com 

Case 

Elan  Vital  T10AB 

$90 

www.elanvital.com.tw 

Power  Supply 

Built-in,  230W 

$0 

N/A 

Keyboard 

MS  Natural 

$69 

www.microsoft.com/hardware 

Mouse/Pointing  Device 

Logitech  Mouseman 

$49 

www.loqitech.com 

Action  Game  Controller 

ThrustMaster  RaqeSD 

$29 

www.thru5tmaster.com 

Flight  Controls 

CH  FI  6 Combat  Stick 

$49 

www.chproducls.com 

*We  have  made  every  effort  fo  ensure  this  information  would  be  timely  and  accurate. 


However,  new  hardware  is  constantly  being  released,  and  magazine  production  and  distribution  involves  an  8-1 0 week  delay,  in  cases  where  new 
products  were  close  to  release  at  presstime,  we  have  kept  our  current  top  choice  so  that  we  only  recommend  finished  products  we  have  tested. 


tCOMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


v.computergaming.c 


Incoming"  Screenshot  l^u'rtesv  of 


The  future  of  gaming 
is  no  longer  just  in  front  of  you. 

Introducing  360  Degrees  Of  Totally  Immersive  Monster  Sound. 


“IF  YOU  CAN  AFFORD  JUST 
ONE  GAME^RELATED  UPGRADE 
FOR  YOU  PC  THIS  YEAR, 
MAKE  IT  MONSTER  SOUND" 

—Family  PC,  Sept.  97 

• Positional  3D  Audio  With  2 Or  4 Speakers 

• 6/(-Voice  Hardware  Wavetable 
(Roland  Authorized  Sample  Set) 

• Drastically  Outperforms  ISA  Sound  Cards 
•Accelerates  DirectSound,  DirectSoundsD, 

and  A3D 

• Includes  Hot  3D  Games  Like  Incomingr 
Jedi  KnighC  and  Outlawsl" 


Enter  the  Monster  Sound  MXzoo 
Sweepstakes  by  visiting  our  website  at 
http://www.dlamondmm.com/monstersound200 


Ground  fire  blasting  on  your  right.  Laser 
bursts  whizzing  overhead.  You  can  even 
hear  the  roar  of  an  enemy  fighter 
behind  you.  Because  with  Diamond 
Monster  Sound  MX200  PCI  audio  card, 
you’re  surrounded  with  amazingly  real,  true  positional  3D  sound.  Plug  in 
either  2 or  4 speakers,  strap  on  your  headphones,  and  experience  the 
incredible  3D  positional  audio  for  the  ultimate  gaming  experience.  Monster 
Sound  MX200  brings  64  voice  hardware  wavetable  synthesizer,  with  Roland 
authorized  sample  set.  and  23  independent  audio  streams,  creating  the 
entire  spectrum  of  realistic  sound.  Plus,  you  get  Au real's^'  award-winning  A3D 
technology  and  Microsoft’s'*'  DirectSound  and  DirectSound3D  to  unlock  the 
latest  effects  in  your  Windows  95/98  system.  Better 
yet,  it  comes  with  killer  3D  games  like  Jedi  Knight, 

Outlaws,  and  Incoming.  Get  Monster  Sound  today  and 
make  the  world  revolve  around  you  for  a change.  Accelerate  your  world. 


® 1998  Diamond  Multimedia  Systems.  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.  Diamond  and  the  Diamond  logo  are  registered  trademarks  of  Diamond  Multimedia  Systems,  Inc.  Monster  Sound  Isa  trademark  of  Diamond 
Multimedia  Systems,  Incorporated,  2880  Junction  Avenue,  San  lose,  CA  95134.  All  other  trademarks  are  the  properly  of  their  respective  owners. 


MILLENNIA  266 


MILLENNIA  333 


> 266MHz  Intel  Pentium  n 


processor 

• 32MB  SDRAM 

• 4.3GB  Ultra  ATA  hard  drive 

• 17"  Micron  700FGx, 

.26dp  monitor  (16"  display) 

• 82440LX  chip  set 

< 512K8  internal  cache, 

2MB  flash  BIOS 

• 3.5"  floppy  drive 

• 32X  ElOE  variable  speed 
CD-ROM  drive 

• 128-bit  AGP  Diamond  Viper 
V330  (nVidia),  4MB  EDO 
SGRAM  & MPEG 


• Integrated  32-voice  Wavetable 
30  stereo  sound 

• Advent  AV009  stereo 
speakers 

• 56K  x2  data/fax  modem* 

■ 104-key  enhanced  keyboard 

• Microsoft"'  IntelliMouse^’ 

• Microsoft  Windows"  95  and 
Microsoft  Plus! 

• Microsoft  Office  97 
Small  Business  Edition 

■ 5-year/3-year  Micron 
PoweH*'  limited  warranty 


> 333MHz  Intel  Pentium  II 


$1C4Q  $66/mo' 

1 1 W"T%f  Consumer  Lease 


processor 

• 64MB  SDRAM 

• 6.4GB  Ultra  ATA  hard  drive 

• 17"  Micron  700F6x, 

.26dp  monitor  (16"  display) 

• 82440LX  chip  set 

• 512KB  internal  cache, 

2MB  flash  BIOS 

• 3.5"  floppy  drive 

• 32X  EIDE  variable  speed 
CD-ROM  drive 

■ 128-bit  AGP  Diamond  Viper 
V330  (nVidia),  4MB  EDO 
SGRAM  & MPEG 


■ Integrated  32-voice  Wavetable 
3D  stereo  sound 

• Advent  AV009  stereo  speakers 

• 56Kx2  data/fax  modem* 

• 104-key  enhanced  keyboard 

• Microsoft  IntelliMouse 

■ Microsoft  Windows  95  and 
Microsoft  Plus! 

• Microsoft  Office  97 
Small  Business  Edition 

• 5-year/3-year  Micron  Power 
limited  warranty 


M,999 


Consumer  Lease 


HARDCORE  SYSTEMS 


Add  Microsoft  Sidewinder" 
Precision  Pro  Joysdck  for  ^59 


I In  ^ Al  at  U MbHIy.  At 


lIlIindllMMiittnnlotai 


MILLENNIA  350 


MILLENNIA  400 


• 350MHz  Intel  Pentium  U 
processor 

• 64MB  PCIOO  SDRAM 

• 6.4GB  Ultra  ATA  hard  drive 

• 17"  Micron  700  FGx, 

.26dp  monitor  (16"  display) 

• 82440BX chip  set 

• 512KBintemal cache, 

2MB  flash  BIOS 

• 3.5"  floppy  drive 

• 32X  EIDE  variable  speed 
CD-ROM  drive 

• 128'bit  AGP  Diamond  Viper 

V330  (nVidia),  4MB  EDO 
SGRAM&MPEG  ( 


• Integrated  64-voice  Wavetable 
3D  stereo  sound 

• Advent  AV009  stereo 
speakers 

• 56Kx2  data/fax  modem* 

• 104-key  enhanced  keyboard 

• Microsoft  IntelliMouse 

• Microsoft  Windows  95  and 
Microsoft  Plus! 

• Microsoft  Office  97 
Small  Business  Edition 

■ 5-year/3-year  Micron  Power 
limited  warrant 

;0  AQQ  $8Vmo’ 

Consumer  Lease 


• 400MHz  Intel  Pentiumll 
processor 

• 64MB  PCIOO SDRAM 

• 8.4GB  Ultra  ATA  hard  drive 

• 17"  Micron  700  FGx, 

.26dp  monitor  (16"  display) 

> 82440BX  chip  set 

• 512KB  internal  cache, 

2MB  flash  BIOS 

• 100MB  Iomega  Zip  drive 

• DVD-ROM  drive  and  PCI 
decoder  card*** 

■ 128‘bit  AGP  Diamond  Viper 
V330  (nVidia),  4MB  EDO 
SGRAM  & MPEG  I 


• Integrated  64-voice  Wavetable 
3D  stereo  sound 

• Advent  AV009  stereo 
speakers 

• S6Kx2  data/fax  modem* 

• 104-key  enhanced  keyboard 

• Microsoft  IntelliMouse 

• Microsoft  Windows  95  and 
Microsoft  Plus! 

■ Microsoft  Office  97 
Small  Business  Edition 

• 5-year/3-year  Micron  Power 
limited  warranty 

in  AQT  $99/nio’ 

m |"T  V # Consumer  Lease 


FOR  HARDCORE  GAMERS.  ^ UECTRONICS 


Call  888-669-0969  or 
wwwrnmicronpCMCom/cgw 

Go  to  #1 00  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


'Amount  of  mocTthtyiHymenU  for  consumer  leasing  arc  based  on  30-montti  lease,  Consumer  leasini 
induded  within  the  monthly  payment;  security  deposit  equivalent  to  one  or  two  monlh^  payments 
be  purchased  hiran  amount  equal  to  Ibthofthe  onglnat  amount  financed,  plus  applicable  sales  taj 


arranged  by  Leasing  Croup  Inc.,  an  independent  entity,  to  qualified  customers.  All  above  ir 
required;  subject  to  credit  approval  arrd  availability.  Documentation  fee  of  ISO  required  wil 
Lease  Icrms  subjea  to  change  without  notice. 


ch  may  vary;  shrppmg  co 


REVIEW  • TURTLE  BEACH  MONTEGO 


Turtle  Beach  Hits  a High  Note 


by  Loyd  Case 

A ureal's  A3D  positional- 

audio  technology  is  slowly 
seeping  into  more  main- 
stream hardware.  The 
Montego  is  the  latest  card 
to  boast  Aureal's  new 
Vortex  chip,  a single-chip  imple- 
mentation of  the  A3D  architecture. 
It  supports  DirectSound  3D  acceler- 
ation, runs  most  DOS  titles,  and 


APPEAL;  Gamers  waiting  for  a cost- 
effective  PCt-based  A3D  card. 


PROS:  Robust  MIDI;  clean  digital 
audio;  amazing  A3D  effects. 

CONS;  Some  digital  joysticks  may  not 
work;  drivers  may  have  some  bugs. 


Price:  5129.95 

Manufacture!:  Turtle  Beach/Voyeira 
(800)  233-9377 


even  sports  a MIDI  daughtercard 
connector,  for  those  of  us  who  still 
love  our  Roland  SCD-15s, 

The  Montego  is  a tiny  card,  but 
its  size  belies  the  sound  that 
comes  out  of  it.  Like  many  modern 
PCI  sound  cards,  the  Montego  uses 
system  memory  to  store  the 
wavetable  samples,  but  MIDI 
music  is  a full  hardware  implemen- 
tation. There  are  several  settings  in 
the  Montego's  control  panel  for 


MIDI  quality;  the 
best  setting  uses 
more  system  RAM, 
but  the  sound 
quality  is  pretty 
good.  Horns  were 
a bit  lacking,  but 
the  acoustic  piano 
sounded  fine.  Since 
I attached  a 
Roland  SCD-15 
Sound  Canvas 
daughtercard  to 
the  Montego,  it  was  easy  to  do  an 
A/B  comparison.  The  Montego's 
highest  quality  sounds  weren't 
quite  up  to  the  Roland's  standards, 
but  they  were  still  pretty  darned 
good.  The  game-quality  sounds 
held  their  own. 

Digital  audio  is  good,  and  the 
card  supports  full  duplex  audio. 
TheA3D  implementation  seems 
quite  effective;  JEDi  KNIGHT  never 
sounded  so  real.  The  digital  sound 


is  really  clean — cranking  up  the 
volume  with  no  signal  yielded  only 
a barely  audible  hiss.  DOS  compat- 
ibility when  booting  to  the  DOS 
prompt  seemed  pretty  good.  I did 
experience  one  crash  with  Rage 
Software's  INCOMING  demo — it 
consistently  generated  a 
DirectSound  error. 

One  downside  to  the  Montego  is 
that  1 couldn't  get  the  ThrustMaster 
Rage  3D  gamepad  to  work  with 
the  game  port,  although  the 
Microsoft  digital  sticks  worked. 
Analog  joysticks  didn't  have  any 
problems.  Just  make  sure  your  con- 
troller works  with  this  card  before 
you  get  it. 

Overall,  the  Montego  is  a clean- 
sounding, solid  implementation  of 
A3D  audio,  with  good  DOS  support 
to  boot.  I'm  a little  concerned 
about  the  drivers,  but  other  than 
with  INCOMING,  I had  no  problems 
with  the  card.  S33 


REVIEW  • STB  VELOCITY  128ZX 


Velocity 


by  Loyd  Case 

A few  months  in  the  3D  card 
business  changes  every- 
thing— or  so  it  sometimes 
seems.  When  we  reviewed 
the  original  STB  Velocity 
128  last  November,  we 
were  impressed  with  its  combina- 
tion of  speed  and  features.  Since 
then,  STB  has  improved  the 
Velocity  even  more,  fixing  many  of 
its  initial  image-quality  problems. 


APPEAL:  Gamers  looking  to  upgrade 
to  AGP. 

PROS:  RIVA 128  performance  in  an 
SMB,  2XAGP  package. 

CONS:  Some  image  quality  problems 
peraist 

Price:  $149  (8MB) 

Manufaaufer:  STB 
(972) 234-8750 


128ZX  Bobs  and  Weaves 


though  some  polygon  cracking  and 
dithering  artifacts  still  crop  up 
occasionally.  STB  has  recently 
released  drivers  that  add  OpenGL 
support  as  well. 

So  when  the  Velocity  1 28ZX 
arrived  on  my  doorstep,  complete 
with  AGP  2X  support  and  8MB  of 
SGRAM,  I popped  it  into  my  new 
400MHz  Pentium  II  and  took  it  out 
for  a spin.  The  Velocity  128ZX  cur- 
rently ships  only  in  an  AGP  version, 
so  I couldn't  test  on  our  baseline 
system.  I saw  some  good  things 
and  some  not  so  good  things, 


Here's  the  good;  2D  perfor- 
mance seems  even  snappier  than 
that  of  the  original  RIVA  1 28,  at 
just  under  200  for  a WinBench's 
Business  Graphics  WinMark  at 
1024x768x16.  The  3D  WinBench 
score  was  up  in  the  stratosphere, 
too.  clocking  in  at  849  at 
640x480,  but  trailing  off  to  725  at 
800x600,  Now,  nVidia  has  added 
trilinear  filtering  and  antialiasing 
(via  supersampling)  by  taking 
advantage  of  the  fill  rate  of  the 
chip,  but  the  hardware  doesn't 
directly  support  either  trilinear  fil- 
tering or  antialiasing. 

Game  performance  was  quite 
good;  the  only  3D  GameGauge 
score  that  seemed  a bit  low  was 
with  INCOMING.  The  3D  Game- 
Gauge  score  at  640x480  came  in 
at  299,  Because  the  RIVA  128ZX 
doesn't  have  a provision  for  dis- 


abling v-sync,  I ran  it  with  moni- 
tor refresh  rate  set  at  120Hz.  My 
test-bed  was  CCW's  high-end 
Ultimate  Gaming  Machine,  a 
400MHz  Pentium  II.  The  Velocity 
128ZX  scored  the  highest  3D 
GameGauge  number  of  any  AGP 
2D/3D  card  to  date. 

Here's  the  bad:  If  you  dial  up  to 
800x600,  the  3D  GameGauge 
score  drops  about  25  percent,  to 
225, 1 did  notice  some  polygon 
cracking  and  some  dithering  arti- 
facts in  QUAKE  II — though,  oddly, 
not  in  GLQUAKE.  Overall  image 
quality  was  slightly  lower  than 
with  the  Intel  i740  cards  I've  seen. 

It's  probably  not  worth  upgrad- 
ing from  a standard  RIVA  card,  but 
if  you're  looking  to  do  a mother- 
board upgrade  and  get  a new  AGP 
card  while  you're  at  it,  this  would 
be  a good  choice.  233 


A. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1996 


if.computergaming.c 


LOYD  CASE 


GET  SCREWED  This  curious  littie  gadget  mounts  under  some 
new  motherboards  to  provide  support 


Continued  from  157 
asks  for  the  Windows  CD  and 
installs  new  drivers.  After  sever- 
al reboots,  things  usually  are 
working  fine. 

The  Pentium  II 
Support  Bracket 

I've  probably  installed  and 
set  up  several  dozen  Pentium  II 
systems  by  now.  If  you've  taken 
a close  look  at  a Pentium  II 
motherboard,  you'll  notice  that 
the  CPU  is  held  in  place  by  a 
vertical  bracket.  You  slide  the 
Pentium  II  slot  one  cartridge 
into  the  bracket  and  it  snaps 
into  place,  If  you're  a sus- 
penders-and-belt  kind  of  human 
(or  you  have  an  unusually  heavy 
fan),  you  might  also  install  the 
fan  support  bracket. 

The  Pentium  II  support  brack- 
et is  fastened  to  the  mother- 
board with  a weird  little  plastic 
gizmo  that  has  two  screws 
attached  to  it.  You  insert  these 
into  the  underside  of  the  moth- 
erboard, straddling  the  slot  one 
socket.  You  then  screw  down 
the  bracket  into  the  screws  (see 
the  picture). 

About  9 times  out  of  10, 1 
screw  the  motherboard  into  the 
case,  only  to  discover  that  I've 
neglected  to  insert  the  @#$%& 
screw  gizmos,  which  means  the 
support  bracket  has  no  way  of 
being  fastened  down.  I have  to 
completely  remove  the  mother- 
board and  install  the  blasted 
things,  As  an  aside,  one  of  the 
small — but  significant — reasons 


I like  ASUS  motherboards  is  that 
they  glue  the  bracket  screws 
onto  the  motherboard,  so  I can 
never  forget  them. 

Mea  Culpa 
and  All  That... 

So  if  you  find  yourself  feeling 
dumb,  just  remember  the  so- 
called  tech  guy  here  at  CGW. 
You  may  think  you've  pulled  a 
real  boneheaded  move — but  I 
betcha  I can  match  it. 


Tech  Tips 


Windows  Intallation  IVIade  Easy 

Reinstalling  Windows  is  a headache.  It's  a headache,  because  you  usually 
need  to  have  all  your  driver  disks  and  any  Windows  updates.  I've  finally 
seen  the  light,  and  I now  use  a partition  image  tool.  These  utilities  will 
take  a snapshot  of  an  entire  partition  (or  even  disks  with  multiple  parti- 
tions). If  you  need  to  get  back  to  a known  good  state,  then  you  can  just 
reinstall  the  snapshot  of  the  partition  (assuming  no  hardware  has 
changed).  I install  Windows,  all  my  drivers,  and  all  my  applications.  I then 
take  a snapshot  of  the  partition.  It's  as  easy  as  that 
Good  examples  of  partition  image  tools  include  Drive  Image  ,by 
PowerQuest  (www.powerquest.com),  and  Ghost  by  Binary  Research 
(www.ghostsoft.com).  Note  that  Ghost  is  a professional  tool,  and  a lo- 
oser license  (the  minimum)  costs  about  S200.  Drive  Image  comes  in  a 
personal  edition  for  around  $60. 

The  Drivers  Are  Here 

It's  OpenGL  driver  season,  but  don't  shoot  them.  Instead,  check  out  the 
new  drivers  from  STB,  Canopus,  and  Diamond  for  their  RIVA 128  cards 
(full  ICD  support).  The  Stealth  II  now  has  a mini-GL  driver.  AH  has  a beta 
driver  on  its  site  that  works  reasonably  well  (www.atitech.ca).  If  you 
have  an  Intel  740  card,  you  should  check  witii  your  vendor,  because  their 
ICD  may  well  be  out. 


v.computergaming.t 


Go  to  #185  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


REVIEW  • DIAMOND  MONSTER3D  II 


Revenge  of  the  Monster 

Diamond  Returns  with  a Solid  Voodoo^  Performer 


by  Dave  Salvator 

iamond  put  itself  on 
the  3D  graphics  map 
nearly  two  years  ago 
with  its  3Dfx  Voodoo- 
based  Monster3D. 
Along  with  Orchid's 
Righteous  3D. 
Monster3D  was  the 
king  of  the  heap,  and  the  3D  card 
to  have.  In  bringing  out  its 
Monster3D  II,  Diamond  opens 
itself  to  a fair  question:  Can  the 
company  deliver  a repeat  perfor- 
mance? The  answer  is  a qualified 
yes.  TheVoodoo^-based 


Diamond's  version  1.01  driver 
release  seemed  to  remedy  that 
problem. 

First  off,  it  has  to  be  said  that  if 
you're  big-time  into  QUAKE  II,  then 
3Dfx's  Voodoo^  is  most  likely  in 
your  future.  Diamond's  implemen- 
tation comes  in  either  an  SMB  or 
12MB  configuration,  and  you  can 
buy  a second  board  with  the  same 
memory  configuration  and  run  the 
two  together  using  3Dfx's  scan-line 
interleave  (SLI)  technology.  Of 
course,  two  boards  eat  two  PCI 
slots,  so  that  may  not  be  an  option 
if  you  have  SRO  in  your  rig  (not  to 
mention  the  added  cost). 


SOLID  AS  A ROCK  The  Diamond  MonsterSD  II  rates  as  a solid 
performer  across  all  categories. 


The  second-generation  MonsterSD  II  is  no  slouch  when  it 
comes  to  accelerating  DirectSD,  with  very  solid  3D 
GameGauge  scores  running  at  both  640x480  and  800x600. 


Monster3D  II  does  the  job,  though 
we  did  encounter  a few  bumps  in 
the  road  running  two  boards  in  SLI 
mode  (which  Diamond  calls  its 
MegaMonster  configuration). 

Installation  is  pretty  straight- 
forward: Plug  the  board  into  an 
open  PCI  slot,  fire  up  your  system, 
and  feed  a driver  CD  and  you 
should  be  good  to  go.  In  our  early 
testing,  we  saw  some  lockups 
running  3D  WinBench  with  two 
boards  in  SLI  mode,  though 


APPEAL:  Gamers  looking  for  across- 
the-board  solid  3D  performance. 

PROS:  Solid  performer  all  around;  good 
headroom  for  future  games. 

CONS:  No  single-board  support  for 
1024x768;  expensive. 
REQUIREMENTS:!  PCI  slot;  2 for 
SLI  configuration. 

Price:  S299(12MB),  S249  (8MB) 
Manufanurer:  Diamond  Mollimedia 
Sunnyvale,  CA 
(800)468-5846 


v.diamondmm.c 


In  terms  of  numbers,  there 
aren't  really  any  big  surprises  here. 
Clearly,  for  QUAKE  and  QUAKE  II,  a 
Voodoo^-based  board  is  the  thing 
to  have.  And  the  second-genera- 
tion Monster3D  II  is  no  slouch 
when  it  comes  to  accelerating 
Direct3D,  with  very  solid  3D 


GameGauge  scores  running  at 
both  640x480  and  800x600.  Also, 
when  I ran  the  Glide  versions  of 
F22  and  TUROK,  i saw  several 
impressive  jumps,  most  notably 
with  two  boards  running  in  SLI. 

One  thing  to  appreciate  is  the 
Monster3D  H's  frame-rate  of 


142.6fps  running  FORSAKEN  at 
640x480  on  a single  board.  This  is 
a pretty  absurd  number  when 
taken  as  only  a frame-rate,  but  it 
shows  that  the  Voodoo^  chipset 
has  lots  of  headroom. 

Monster3D  H's  solid  perfor- 
mance, coupled  with  a bundle  that 
includes  BATTLEZONE  and 
INCOMING  (as  well  as  a sampler  of 
five  EA  titles),  makes  for  a solid 
offering.  And  while  a second  board 
will  deliver  more  performance,  it's 
debatable  how  necessary  that 
option  really  is. 


1 GAMEGAUGE 

One  12MB  Board 

FOBSAKEN 

QUAKE 

QUAKE  II 

INCOMING 

F22ADF 

TUROK 

GAMEGAUGE 

AVERAGE 

640x480 

142.6 

107.3 

67 

62.34 

32.43 

67.7 

479.4 

79.9 

800x600 

100.84 

' 71:? 

57.7 

56.26 

30.93 

" 51.88  **■ 

369.S 

• •’61.6  ' 

Two  12M8  (SLI) 

FORSAKEN 

QUAKE 

QUAKE  II 

INCOMING 

F22ADF 

TUROK 

GAMEGAUGE 

AVERAGE 

640x480 

170.22 

133.9 

67.4 

61.42 

33.9 

73.35 

540.2 

90.0 

' 800x600 

156.82 

' fi9:6  • 

fe.9 

63.08 

26.57  “ 

505.9  •' 

84.3 

FORSAKEN 

QUAKE 

640x480 

33.71 

71.8 

800x600 

'■  38.71''  ' 

' WA""- 

_ .....  . ..  . 

640x480 

37.27 

104.6 

800x600 

‘ 39.47 

N/A 

3D  WinBench 

Two  12MB  Boards  (SLI) 

662 

640x480 

668 

800x600 

63S 

668 

A 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


v.computergaming.t 


REVIEW  • CANOPUS  PURE3D  II 


Canopus'  Cooler  Voodoo^ 


by  Loyd  Case 

(anopus  prides  itself  on  ship- 
ping graphics  cards  that 
aren't  identical  to  the  chip- 
maker's  reference  design. 
The  Pure3D  II  is  no  excep- 
tion. The  first  thing  that 
caught  my  eye  when  I pulled  the 
antistatic  envelope  from  the  box 
was  how  short  the  board  is.  The 
next  thing  I noticed  is  the  fan.  Yes, 


APPEAL  Gamers  looking  tor 
Voodoo^  with  TV  out. 

PROS:  TV  out;  versatile  control  panel; 
compact  size. 

CONS;  SLI  connector  makes  SLI 
installation  difficult;  no  real  perfor- 
mance difference;  fan  seems  like  a 
gimmick. 

Pike:  $329  (12MB),  $279  (12MB/sans  TV-out) 
Manufacturer  Canopus  Corp. 

868-2533 


we  now  have  a graphics  card  with 
a cooling  fan  built  in.  The  last  item 
of  note  was  the  location  of  the  SLI 
connector — more  on  that  later. 

The  PureSD  II  also  has  TV  out; 
there  are  both  composite  and  S- 
video  connectors,  although  I didn't 
test  that  particular  feature.  The 
control  panel  differs  slightly  from 
the  3Dfx  reference  version,  but 
navigation  is  straightfonvard. 
Pure3D  II  comes  with  some  other 


utilities  supplied,  including  a 
launcher  bar  that  sits  opposite  the 
Windows  95  task  bar.  I didn't  find 
it  all  that  useful.  It  can  also  adjust 
the  gamma  settings  with  keyboard 
hot-keys,  a very  handy  feature. 

Performance  is  quite  good,  better 
than  most  of  the  Voodoo^  boards 
we've  seen.  Canopus  claims  you 
can  clock  the  card  to  100MHz,  but 
even  with  the  fan,  we  experienced 
frequent  lockups  at  clock  rates  over 
95MHz.  However,  95MHz  was  very 
stable.  On  the  400MH2  Pentium  li, 
CGWs  3D  GameGauge  clocked  in 
at  565;  the  score  on  the  ZOOMHz 
Pentium  MMX  system  was  281 . The 
3D  WinBench  scores  were  889  and 
350,  respectively. 

Finally,  the  SLI  connector  is  a bit 


problematic.  It's  located  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  card,  and  the  SLI  cable  is 
around  6 inches  long.  Adding  a 
second  Pure3D  II  means  you  have 
to  pull  out  the  original,  connect  the 
cable  while  the  boards  are  out  and 
install  the  boards  with  the  cable 
attached — it's  rather  like  juggling. 

The  Pure3D  is  a nice  implemen- 
tation of  Voodoo^  It  fits  better  into 
a cramped  case  than  do  most 
Voodoo^  boards,  but  the  perfor- 
mance isn't  really  different  from 
those  other  Voodoo^  boards.  At 
S329,  there  are  cheaper  boards  out 
there,  though  Canopus  has  recently 
announced  the  Pure  3D  II  LX, 
which  deletes  TV  out  and  reduces 
the  price  to  $279.  That  one  may  be 
the  board  to  get. 


Resolution;  640x430x16 

3DWB98 

FORSAKEN 

INCOMING 

TUROK 

QUAKE  II  QUAKE 

F-22ADF 

3060 

OnaPlIMpO. 

389 

158.61 

.80.91 

'80.79 

86.2 

. 1T3.6. 

On  a Pentium  MMX  200 

Resolution:  800x600x16 

350 

80.71 

26.24 

36.78 

36.2 

86.3 

14.78 

281.01 

OnaPIIMQO 

786  .. 

101.07. 

59.76  ..... 

5S^  _ 

.59.6;. 

j:46;o7iV 

I395154M 

On  a Pentium  MMX  200 

350 

72.13 

26 

35.49 

35.6 

70.2 

16.04 

255.46 

REVIEW  • GRAVIS  XTERAAINATOR 

Doing  It  All 


by  JoeVallina 

Naybe  you're  looking  to 
branch  out  and  play  a 
wider  variety  of  games, 
but  one  of  the  things 
holding  you  back  is  the 
prospect  of  having  to 
buy  a bunch  of  different  con- 
trollers. Gravis  may  have  an  inter- 
esting alternative  for  you.  Its  new 
Xterminator  tries  to  be  all  things  to 

Labs  I 


'k-'k  -A  ik  -A 


APPEAL  Casual  gamers  looking  for  a 
versatile  controller. 

PROS:  Can  be  used  with  almost  arty 
genre  of  game. 

CONS:  Some  avtrftward  button  place- 
ment no  pass-through  provision  for  non- 
GrlP  controllers. 

Price:  $49.95 
Manufacturer:  Gravis 
(650)  572-2700 


all  gamers  and,  surprisingly,  doesn't 
do  a bad  job  at  it.  The  gamepad 
sports  10  programmable  buttons,  2 
directional  pads,  2 graduated  flip- 
pers, a slider  (throttle),  and  a four- 
direction  hat.  When  used  as  a stan- 
dard gamepad  in  sports  or  action 
games,  the  Xterminator  functions 
pretty  much  as  expected.  The  only 
potential  problem  stems  from  the 
A,  B,  C and  X,  Y,  Z buttons  being 
set  a little  high  on  the  face  of  the 
controller,  so  it's  easy  to  mistake 
the  C button  for  the  Z button  in  the 
heat  of  battle.  But  this  minor 
annoyance  is  offset  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  proportional  directional 
pad,  which  has  a smooth,  joystick- 
like feel.  It  is  much  less  tiring  than 
the  traditional  d-pad  in  long  game 
sessions  (although  the  Xterminator 
has  the  traditional  pad  as  well, 
should  you  want  to  use  it). 

While  hard-core  flight  simmers 
will  probably  want  to  stick  with 


their  favorite  joystick/throttle  com- 
bination, the  casual  sim  fan  will 
find  that  the  Xterminator  fits  the 
bill  perfectly.  Using  the  controller's 
Keyset  Manager,  I had  no  trouble 
reprogramming  the  buttons  on  the 
Xterminator  to  fly  JANE'S  F-1 5. 
There  are  more  than  enough  but- 
tons for  essential  functions,  and, 
again,  the  proportional  d-pad 
worked  like  a charm.  If  you  should 
find  the  need  for  more  buttons,  the 
Xterminator  features  a Hot-Set 
switch  button  that  allows  the  other 
buttons  on  the  pad  to  pull  double- 
duty. Casual  racing  fans  will  find  it 
an  adequate  substitute  for  both  a 


steering  wheel  and 
pedals. 

The  pad  has  a 
built-in  connector 
on  the  back  of  its 
plug  so  you  can 
link  up  two 
Xterminators  (or 
one  Xterminator  and  any  other 
Grip  technology  controller).  There 
is,  however,  no  pass-through  func- 
tionality for  non-GrIP  controllers, 
which  is  annoying. 

The  Xterminator  is  a good  buy 
for  gamers  who  casually  enjoy  a 
variety  of  game  styles,  but  don't 
want  to  shell  out  the  big  bucks  for 
a joystick,  throttle,  pedals,  steering 
wheel,  and  gamepad.  If  you  have 
very  specialized  gaming  tastes,  by 
all  means  get  yourself  the  special- 
ized controllers;  but  if  you  haven't 
committed  to  a specific  genre,  this 
may  be  the  jack-of-all-trades  you're 
looking  for. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


A 


/.compute  rgaming.c 


'■A 


comingi this  fall 

' check  it  out  at 
www.jaggedalliance.com 


SIRTECH 


To  order,  visit  your  local  retailer. 


Go  to  #125  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


THE  MOST  TRUSTED  REVIEWS  FOR  16  YEARS 


"Now  you  can  target  individual  limbs  for 
dismemberment  instead  of  taking 
general  swings,  a step  up  from  JEDI 
Knight's  lightsaber  duels. " 

— Thierry  "Scooter"  Nguyen,  reviewing 
DIE  BY  THE  SWORD. 


This  MontiH  CGW  Editors'  Choice  games  are  indicated  in  red. 

GAME 

RATING 

PAGE 

Bridge  Deluxe  II  with  Omar  Sharif 

A:  A-  A A A 

224 

ChronX 

* A * * * 

220 

Die  by  the  Sword 

A A A A A 

174 

Forsaken 

A A A A A 

178 

FPS  Ski  Racing 

A A A A A 

214 

The  Golf  Pro 

A A A A A 

211 

HardBall  6 

A A A A A 

208 

High  Heat 

A A A A A 

204 

Kuba 

A A A A A 

224 

Liberation  Day 

A A A A A 

221 

M-1  Tank  Platoon  II 

A A A A A 

185 

Mastermind 

224 

\ MIGHT  AND  MAGIC  VI 

A A A A A 180  \ 

Outwars 

A A A A A 

176 

Panzer  Commander 

A A A A A 

194 

Soldiers  at  War 

A A A A A 

216 

TOTAL  ANNIHILATION:  cloRE  CONTINGENCY 

A A A A 

2171 

Triple  Play  99 

A A A A A 

202 

{world  CUP  98 

201  \ 

The  Game  Genres 


Our  reviews  are 
categorized  by  genre. 
Not  every  game  fits 
neatly  into  a single 
genre,  but  here's  how 
we  define  the  cate- 
gories in  general: 
Action  Games  that  emphasize 
fast  gameplay  over  story  or 
strategy. 

Adventure  Games  that  require 
you  to  solve  puzzles  to  move 
through  a storyline. 


Classicsypuzzle  Classics  are  old 
stand-bys  such  as  Chess  and 
Monopoly.  Puzzle  games  empha- 
size problem-solving  without 
requiring  gamers  to  follow  a story. 
Role-Playing  A subset  of 
adventure  games,  these  stress 
character  development  through 
attributes.  The  gameworld  tends 
to  be  large;  the  plot  less  linear. 
Simulations  Highly  realistic 
games  from  a first-person  per- 
spective, including  flight  sims  and 
space  simulations 
Sports  A broad  genre  encom- 
passing action  sports  games  such 


as  NBA  LIVE,  strategic  sports 
games  such  as  FPS  Football,  and 
even  driving  games  such  as  CART 
PRECISION  RACING, 

Strategy  Problem-solving  and 
planning  are  the  keys  here.  These 
games  emphasize  resource  and 
risk-management  Includes  con- 
flict-based sci-fi  and  fantasy 
games  as  well  as  construction  pro- 
grams like  SIMCity, 

Wargames  A subset  of  strategy 
games,  these  recreate  historical 
conflicts  from  a command  per- 
spective. They  may  be  tactical, 
operational,  or  strategic 


How  Do  We  Rate?  We  review  only  finished  products,  not  prerelease  versions.  The  ratings  are  as  follows: 


•k  -k  -k  -k  -A 

Outstanding  The  rare 
game  that  gets  it  all  right. 
A must-play  experience. 


k k k k k 

Very  Good  Worthy  of 
your  time  and  money,  but 
there  are  drawbacks. 


k k k k k 

Average  Either  an  ambi- 
tious design  with  major 
flaws,  or  simply  vanilla. 


k k k k k 

Weak  Seriously  lacking  in 
play  value,  poorly  conceived, 
or  just  another  clone. 


k k k k k 

Abysmal  The  rare  game 
that  gets  it  all  wrong. 
Pathetic.  Coaster  material. 


www.computergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


A 


Things  'to  vo  Tod^y 


1.  RoO^^P  OP  prisoners  roR  -mE  uooN  PTrrs. 

XX.  MrL’S-TT  FoRum  -to  /(ssess  carTTS  ftna^s. 
111.  PR/KL-TTCE  OO/tV^  -TO  -THE  PEOPLE  ^PoRTNS 


IV.  HtRE  VOTCE  CO/tCH  -TO  HELP  PR^T^CE  EVTL  L^TER. 

V.  UXTIH  CHIET  -TO  ctkcoes  ^ao 

VI.  SeNP  RIV/tL  A e/lSKE-T  OF  POTSONEP  FROTT. 


VII.  Wee-t  3L.PT>rT0Rs  FOR  -THTS  ThoRsp^t's  bloopfe^t 

yfX  tvae  CouossEOt-a. 

VIII.  -r/bCES  -TO  FUNP  r-AORE  -T/b<  collec.-toR^. 

IX.  LeC-TORE  PUBLUC.  on  BENEFTTrs  OF  PRoCREA-TLNG. 

X.  HtiRe  more  ntegils  -to  p/ttRol  the  slums. 

XI.  CleoP/ttR/*  for  pinner 

XII.  StASE  a Fm-wr  TH3AG  TO  HffPEN  ON  -THE  UMt-  TO  THE  FoPU-\. 


Xlll.  Absolutely  pont  foRGET  to, 


CENTURION 


This  fruii  baskci  looks  dbsoluicly  delicious! 
It's  awfully  nice  of  you  (o  haye  me  deliver  it 
lo  your  arch  rival.  1 thoushi  you  haieil  each 


I woiiiicr  ij\vi)vih'  wouU  iiolid’  iin 
i.ipplc  j 


Build,  rule  and 
battle  on  one 
screen-no  more 
switching  between 
city,  province  and 
battle  screens! 


LION  TAMER 


Tipping  the  vigil  off  10  arrest  plebs  lor 
loitering  was  ingenious!  It's  much 
cheaper  to  feed  my  lions  prisoners 
than  the  meal  from  that  farmer. 
We'll  see  how  long  those  gladiators 
last  against  my  boys  now! 


’Visual  feedback: 
The  real-time 
effects  of  the 
player's  actions  are 
immediately  visible 
on  screen. 


Various  terrain  sets 
include  deserts, 
forests,  mountains 
and  multiple 
elevations. 


Construct  temples 
to  various  gods  of 
the  Roman 
Pantheon  and 
witness  the  effects 
on  your  city. 


More  progressive 
career  structure 
and  intuitive 
interface  mean 
more  exciting, 
longer  lasting 
gameplay. 


ferred  back  to  the 
irol  - vho  Lion  Tamer 
! piece  to  round  up 
for  his  pets. 


Build  a Belief  Rome 


If  you  arc  planning  to  build  a new  Colo.sseum  as  I 
suspect,  you'll  need  a lot  more  money,  and  a lot  more 
guys  like  me  to  gather  it.  People  who  think  taking 
candy  from  a baby  is  wrong  just  hax  en’t  bothered  to 
try  it. 


www.sierraslLidios.com 


Inc.  'tSitiutAir  dcsi}inc)ic  ir.iclomarks  of,  or  licensed  to.  Sierra  Oi 

Go  to  #186  @ www.computergaming.com/lnfotink 


ine.  Bellevue;  vyA''9WH)7.  All  R/kllts  Reserved. 


Sierw  On-I. 


REVIEW  • DIE  BY  THE  SWORD 


Off  With  His  Head 


Decapitation  and  Dismemberment  Abound 
In  Interplay's  DIE  BY  THE  SWORD 


by  Thierry  Nguyen 

hank  Lara  Croft  for  mak- 
ing it  hip  to  see  over  your 
character's  shoulder 
rather  than  through  her 
eyes.  You  should  also 
thank  Lara  for  the  wave 
of  third-person  action 
games  competing  for 
your  attention.  One  such  game  is 
Interplay's  DIE  BY  THE  SWORD,  a 
fantasy-based,  third-person  action 
game  that  adds  sword  fighting  to 
the  mix. 

Mortal  Fencing 

DBTS  can  be  played  in  three 
ways;  Quest  mode,  the  single-play- 
er game;  Arena  mode,  which  is 
instant  action:  and  Tournament 
mode,  in  which  you  advance 
through  a series  of  sword  duels 
and  battles  in  a linear  fashion. 

E<>^VMRated  \ 


-k  'k  "A  iK  'A 


APPEAL  Third- 
person  action 
gamers  with  time 
and  patience; 
sword-fighting  fans. 

PROS:  Well-done 
Quest  levels;  good 
enemy  Al;  good 
character  design; 

VSIM  creates  some  realistic  and  exciting 
sword  duels. 

CONS:  Quest  is  too  short;  save  feature 
is  annoying;  too  few  arenas;  learning 
curve  is  steep. 

DIFFICULTY:  Intennediate. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  100, 
Windows  95, 16MB  RAM,  125MB  hard- 
drive  space,  2x  CD-ROM  drive,  SVGA 
graphics  card,  Sound  Blaster-<ampatib!e 
sound  cards,  DirectX  5.0. 

3D  SUPPORT:  3Dfx,  Rendition, 
nVidia,  Matrox  Millennium,  DirectBD. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem, 
serial  connection  (2  players);  LAN  (up  to 
4 players). 

Price:  $54.95 

Publisher:  Tantrum/lnlcrplay  Productions 

Irvine,  CA 

(800)468-3775 


^RACKED  CRYSTAL  One  puzzle  requires  that  you  shatter  special 
crystals  to  weaken  Rastegar's  power — a nice  departure  from 
the  standard  third-person  puzzle  fare. 


No  matter  which  mode  you  play, 
gameplay  essentially  boils  down  to 
a series  of  duels  and  matches. 
Sometimes  you  might  fight  one 
ore;  other  times  you  might  face 
half  a dozen  Kobolds.  The  combat 
engine  that  forms  the  core  of  the 
gameplay  is  DBTS's  VSIM  fighting 
model.  It  gives  you  total  freedom 
to  wield  your  sword  and  offers  a 
realistic  physics  and  damage 
model.  Now  instead  of  taking  gen- 
eral swings,  you  can  target  individ- 
ual limbs  for  dismemberment,  a 
step  up  from  JEDI  KNIGHT'S 
lightsaber  duels. 

The  Quest  mode  is  good  overall. 
Although  you  simply  move  from 
duet  to  duel  through  the  intercon- 
nected levels,  the  levels  are  nicely 
designed,  and  the  puzzles  in  them 
are  better  than  the  standard  "key 
hunting"  fare.  In  one  level,  I had  to 
get  onto  a raft  either  by  sneaking 
aboard  or  by  killing  all  the  enemies. 
In  another  instance,  I had  to  sabo- 
tage a dwarven  mining  machine. 
The  enemies  are  well  animated 
and  textured  compared  to  other 
third-person  games,  and  their  Al  is 
surprisingly  good,  Kobolds  use 
team  tactics,  skeletons  learn  to 
guard  their  vulnerable  knees,  and 
the  Magmar  try  to  push  you  into 
the  lava.  There  are,  of  course,  some 
flaws  in  their  tactics  that  you  can 
exploit,  but  overall,  you'll  need  to 


learn  new  fighting  styles  for  the 
various  duels. 

it's  Only  a Flesh  Wound 

There  are  two  main  problems 
with  the  Quest  mode:  saving  and 
length.  The  Quest  is  simply  too 
short.  After  eight  levels,  I found 
myself  in  Rastegar's  castle.  That's 
less  than  10  levels!  Though  each 
level  is  of  medium  length,  it 
would've  been  nice  to  have  more. 
Also,  you  can't  save  on  your  own. 
Instead,  the  game  saves  automati- 
cally at  certain  checkpoints.  As  a 
result,  it  took  me  quite  a while  to 
beat  Changa  (a  miniboss),  since  the 
game  saves  only  before  and  after 
you  fight  him. 

The  last  problem  is 
that  VSIM  is  very  hard 
to  learn.  The  basic 
mechanics  are  easy 
enough,  but  using 
those  mechanics  for 
anything  more  than  a 
basic  swing  is  compli- 
cated. Don't  expect  to 
pull  off  head-lopping 
moves  in  combat;  you'll 
need  to  rely  on  the 
move  editor  for  that.  It 
will  take  all  you  have 


just  to  make  swings  that  connect. 
As  for  controls,  VSIM  works  best 
with  the  keyboard,  is  surprisingly 
functional  with  a joystick,  and  too 
hard  to  control  with  a mouse. 

The  Arena-  and  Tournament-style 
fights  are  nice,  but  they  offer  no 
more  gameplay  than  a standard 
fighting  game.  DBTS  could  have 
benefited  from  more  arena  and 
monster  types  in  those  modes. 

Overall,  DBTS  is  a good  game. 
The  Quest  mode  is  a fine  single- 
player  game,  offering  good  puzzles 
and  some  smart  enemies.  If  the 
Quest  mode  was  longer,  if  a better 
save-game  feature  existed,  and  if 
VSIM  didn't  have  such  a steep 
learning  curve,  DBTS  could  have 
been  an  Editor's  Choice.  £2327 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


i/.computefgaming,( 


c 

GW  Reviews  Index 

These  Are  the  Games  We 

Have  Reviewed  in  the  Last  Three  Months 

Game 

Month 

Page 

Publisher 

CGW  Rating 

Balls  of  steel 

May 

158 

GT  Interactive 

★ ★ ★ A A 

Battlezone 

June 

184 

Activision 

* ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Carmageddon  Splat  Pack 

May 

154 

Interplay 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Deathmatch  Maker  2 

June 

196 

Virtus 

Interstate  '76:  Arsenal 

June 

189 

Activision 

A ★ ★ 5*r  A 

Grand  Theft  Auto 

July 

152 

ASC  Games 

★ ★ A At 

Hexen  II:  Portal  of  Praevus 

July 

148 

Activision 

★ ★ ★ At  ★ 

Jedi  Knight:  Mysteries  of  the  Sith 

May 

141 

LucasArts 

* ★ * * 

o 

Juggernaut 

June 

192 

Head  Games 

★ ★ ★ A A 

& 

Redneck  Rampage;  Suckin'  Grits... 

May 

162 

Interplay 

Ac  ★ 

Shadow  Master 

July 

146 

Psygnosis 

★ At  * * ★ 

SubSpace 

May 

154 

Virgin  Interactive 

★ * * A 

Tanarus 

May 

151 

Sony  Interactive 

★ At  ★ A A 

Team  47  Goman 

May 

158 

47-Tek 

At  A'  A Ar  ★ 

Touring  Car  Championship 

June 

194 

Sega 

7k  At  A Ar  Ac 

Ultimate  Race  Pro 

July 

144 

MicroProse 

★ ★AAA: 

Virus 

May 

162 

Sir-Tech 

A A A A A 

X'Men:  The  Ravages  of  Apocalypse 

May 

142 

Wizard  Works 

AAA  :*  ■'  A 

III 

Battlespire 

May 

166 

Bethesda  Softworks 

A A A X-  * 

ce 

3 

Beyond  Time 

May 

172 

Dreamcatcher  Interactive 

A .-i- 

m 

Black  Dahlia 

July 

154 

Interplay 

A A A A A 

a 

Of  Light  & Darkness 

June 

202 

Interplay 

A A A A A 

Tex  Murphy;  Overseer 

June 

197 

Access  Software 

A A A A A 

tsj 

Creatures;  Life  Kit  #1 

June 

260 

Mindscape 

A A A A A 

s! 

Monty  Python's  The  Meaning  of  Life 

May 

197 

Panasonic  Interactive 

A A A A A 

Pharaoh's  Ascent 

June 

260 

Ambertech 

A A A A A 

S 

Star  Trek  Pinbaii 

June 

188 

Interplay 

A A A A A 

u 

Star  Trek:  The  Game  Show 

May 

198 

Sound  Source  Interactive 

A A A A A 

Air  Warrior  111 

May 

177 

Interactive  Magic 

A A A A * 

F-15 

July 

160 

Jane's/EA 

A A A A A 

Si 

iF'22  Persian  Gulf  vS.O 

July 

162 

Interactive  Magic 

A A A A A 

Search  and  Rescue 

June 

204 

Intense  Entertainment 

A A A A A 

Andretti  Racing 

May 

184 

EA  Sports 

A A A A A 

Deer  Hunter 

July 

166 

WizardWorks/GT  Interactive 

AAA  ?'•  A 

GS 

O 

FI  Racing  Simulation 

July 

164 

Ubi  Soft 

A A A A A 

t/l 

FIFA  Road  to  World  Cup  98 

June 

208 

EA  Sports 

A A A A A 

VR  Baseball  Hardware  Accelerated 

May 

180 

interplay 

A A A A A 

Aide  De  Camp  2 

May 

192 

HPS  Simulations 

A A A A A 

Armor  Command 

June 

245 

Ripcord  Games 

A A A jir 

Dark  Reign  Expansion...Shadowland 

July 

195 

Activision 

A A A A A 

Deadlock  II 

June 

257 

Accolade 

A A -x  -.ir-  W- 

Deeper  Dungeons 

May 

187 

EA 

A A A >•«■  T ' 

s 

Dragoon 

July 

197 

Art  of  War 

A A A ^ — 

U) 

East  Front  Campaign  CD  1 

July 

195 

TatonSoft 

A A A A 

1 

Evolution 

May 

195 

Discovery  Channel 

A 

Great  Battles  of  Julius  Caesar 

July 

184 

Interactive  Magic 

A A A A 

Magic  the  Gathering...Pianeswaikers 

May 

190 

MicroProse 

A A X * .s 

s 

Semper  Fi 

June 

254 

interactive  Magic 

A A A A 

iA 

StarCraft 

July 

168 

Blizzard 

A A A A A 

Star  Wars  Rebellion 

July 

172 

LucasArts 

A A A )4c  A 

Storm  in  the  West 

June 

258 

Schwerpunkt 

AAAar;- 

WarBreeds 

July 

189 

Red  Orb 

A A A A A 

Warhammer:  Dark  Omen 

July 

178 

Electronic  Arts 

A A A A 

v.computergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


Every  time  someone  dies  in  QuakeH 


Reqiiem  Wrom  o(  the  Fallen,  3DO,  Cyclone  Studios,  and  the  300  and  Cyclone  Studios  logos,  are  Ssdemadis  or  registered  tiadornarlis  ut  The  300  Company  in  the  U.S.  anoror  other  countries.  01998  The  300  Company.  All  li^ts  reserve! 


3D0 


REVIEW  • OUTWARS 


Hopping  Mad 

A 3D  Shooter  Takes  Flight,  But  Leaves  Saving  Behind 


BUGGERY  OUTWARS'  posterior  view  gives  you  a bigger  picture 
of  the  alien-fighting  action. 


by  Ken  Brown 

There  are  hundreds  of 
mediocre  games  every 
year  that  never  aspire  to 
do  more  than  fulfill  a 
contract  and  make 
money.  That's  why  it 
pains  me  to  criticize  an 
innovative  game  for 
blindly  adhering  to  console  game 
design.  At  its  best  OUTWARS  is 
fresh,  exciting  and  fun;  at  its  worst, 
it  makes  you  forget  its  good  quali- 
ties and  contemplate  using  the  two 
CDs  as  clay  pigeons. 

The  recipe:  Mix  equal  parts 
Starship  Troopers  and  DOOM,  add 
juice  of  one  Aliens  movie,  serve  in 
TERRA  NOVA  glass  with  dead  bug 
garnish.  SingleTrac  then  added  the 
concept  of  rocket-powered  flight  to 
this  brainstorming  session.  Jump 
jets  were  used  in  the  aaion/sim 
hybrid  TERRA  NOVA,  but  OUTWARS 
is  essentially  a 3D  shooter,  and  it's 


APPEAL:  3D 

shooter/science 
fiction  fans  who 
are  looking  to  go 
vertical. 

PROS:  Fresh  and 
challenging:  jump 
jet  concept  thor- 
oughly integrated 
into  game  design;  interesting  campaign; 
good  multiplayer  support. 

CONS;  No  mid-level  save;  weak  alien 
Al;  dated  graphics;  clipping  problems  can 
interfere  with  gameplay;  occasionally 
sadistic  level  design. 

DIFFICULTY:  Easy. 
REQUIREMENTS;  Pentium  133, 
\Mndows  95, 16M8  RAM,  25MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM  drive,  SVGA 
graphic,  mouse. 

3D  SUPPORT:  DirecOD. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Head- 
to-head  via  modem,  multiplayer  on  LAN 
or  the  Internet  Gaming  Zone. 

Price:  S50 

Developer:  SingleTrac  Studios 
Publisher:  Microsoft 
Redmond,  WA 
(425)  882-8080 


a testament  to  the  developers  at 
SingleTrac  that  they  thoroughly 
integrated  rocket-powered  flight 
into  the  design.  The  jets'  fuel  sup- 
ply is  limited,  but  it  recharges 
quickly,  and  I found  the  challenge 
of  having  to  monitor  my  fuel  an 
interesting  aspect  of  the  game. 

The  setup  is  that  you're  a futur- 
istic marine  training  for  the 
Colonial  Defense  Force,  and  your 
training  turns  to  deadly  reality 
when  aliens  attack  the  colonies. 
You  can  choose  either  a male  or 
female  character,  fighting  your  way 
through  a series  of  missions  as 
directed  by  a base  commander.  As 
the  missions  progress,  you'll  get 
heavier  armor  and  more  weapons, 
including  laser  pulse  rifles,  a flame- 
thrower, fikhette  cannon,  rockets, 
guided  missiles,  and  mines.  You'll 
even  acquire  a glider  wing,  which 
functions  like  a hang  glider  and 
lets  you  cover  vast  distances  with- 
out running  out  of  fuel.  You  can 
play  in  first-  or  third-person  view, 
but  I found  third-person  easier  for 
glider  and  jump-jet  maneuvering. 

The  Bug  Hunt 

The  campaign  is  well-designed, 
challenging,  and  unpredictable. 
Sometimes  you'll  embark  on  a solo 
mission:  other  times,  one  or  two 
squad  members  will  join  you.  You 
can't  give  complex  orders  to  these 


troops,  only  simple  commands  like 
stay  put,  attack,  retreat,  or  link  up. 
Nor  can  you  issue  different  direc- 
tions to  different  troops.  More  dis- 
appointing, though,  was  that  only 
one  mission  gave  me  a sense  that  I 
was  part  of  a large  military  force. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  vastness 
of  some  of  the  levels  and  interior 
spaces  really  impressed  me.  You'll 
cover  a lot  of  ground  in  this  game, 
and  the  terrain  can  vary  from  lush 
scenery  to  deep  mines  to  space- 
ships to  gooey  alien  hives.  The  lev- 
els are  huge,  and  they're  usually 
fascinating  to  uncover.  There  were 
enough  unique  features  to  keep 
my  interest — the  giant  alien  queen 
being  a memorable  example. 

The  problem  with  the  levels — 
and  the  game's 
fundamental 
problem — is  that 
you  can't  save  in 
mid-level.  Here, 

SingleTrac's 
roots  in  console 
gaming  (TWISTED 
METAL,  JET 
MOTO)  become 
evident.  This 
wouldn't  be  a 
problem  if  the 
levels  were 
designed  with 
more  power-ups 
or  with  easier 


navigation.  But  as  the  game 
advances  you'll  find  yourself 
replaying  levels  ad  nauseam  to 
unlock  their  secrets.  OUTWARS'  pro- 
ducer, Shannon  Loftis,  told  me  the 
designers  thought  that  a mid-level 
save  would  make  the  game  too 
easy.  But  the  solution  to  that 
should  have  been  better  creature 
Al  instead  of  mazelike  level  design, 
sparse  power-ups,  and  endless, 
frustrating  repetition. 

Graphically,  the  game  is  a step 
backward  for  3D  shooters.  Textures 
look  blotchy  as  you  get  close, 
weapons  firing  graphics  look 
dated,  power-up  graphics  are 
crude,  and  the  game  won't  be  the 
best  to  show  off  a 3D  card.  Most 
of  the  alien  creatures  look  terrible 
up  close,  but  I overlooked  this 
because  you're  supposed  to  kill 
them  from  a distance.  Besides, 
when  the  aliens  attacked  I was  too 
excited  to  think  about  their  looks, 
and  I did  get  a kick  out  of  seeing 
fountains  of  exploding  bug  guts. 

All  in  ail,  OUTWARS  brings  some 
fresh  ideas  to  the  3D-shooter 
genre,  and  it  does  a good  job  of 
sucking  you  into  its  world,  i was 
entertained  early  on,  but  became 
increasingly  frustrated  near  the 
end.  OUTWARS  could  have  been  a 
first-rate  action  title.  I hope  it's  the 
last  good  game  marred  by  the  lack 
of  a save  feature. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


/.computcrgaming.c 


ALL  GAME 


REVIEW  • FORSAKEN 


Beautiful  Bruiser 

Acclaim  Descends  to  New  Graphic  Heights 


by  Gordon  Goble 

If  the  extensive,  and  some- 
what mysterious,  PR  cam- 
paign surrounding  Acclaim's 
new  3D  biastfest,  FORSAKEN, 
has  piqued  your  interest, 
there's  a good  chance  you've 
got  the  same  basic  question 
everyone  else  seems  to  have; 
"When  do  I get  to  play  with  that 
woman  on  the  box?" 

FORSAKEN  is  reminiscent  of 
DESCENT,  with  lots  of  blasting  and 
flying  through  confining  corridors, 
caves,  and  rooms.  And  yes,  it's  a 
gorgeous  game,  a visual  showpiece 
more  breathtaking  than  EXTREME 
ASSAULT  and  far  less  gloomy  than 
its  title  might  suggest.  But,  sadly, 
the  startlingly  attractive  woman 
Acclaim  has  displayed  prominently 
throughout  its  hype  and  plastered 
all  over  the  box  cover  has  nothing 
to  do  with  gameplay. 

The  back-story  in  FORSAKEN 
assumes  Earth's  surface  is  now  a 
smoldering  shell,  thanks  to  one  too 
many  subatomic  experiments.  You 


APPEAL:  Gamers  who  want  to  exploit 
Iheir  3D  accelerators;  DESCENT  junkies 
who  need  a more  explosive  fix. 

PROS:  Big  weapons,  bigger  graphics, 
and  huge  lighting;  continuous  action; 
convincing  'true"  3D  environment;  big- 
time  multiplayer  fun. 

CONS:  Constant  need  to  save  and  re- 
load; long  loading  times;  no  innovations. 
DIFFICULTY:  Hard, 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  166  or 
Pentium  133  (with  3D  accelerator  card), 
Windows  95. 16MB  RAM,  50MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM  drivft  DirectX- 
compadble  sound  card. 

3D  SUPPORT:  Direct3D. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem, 
serial  cable  (2  players),  LAN,  Kali  (up  to 
16  players). 

Price:  $49.95 

Publisher:  Acclaim  Entertainment 
Glen  Cove,  NY 
(516)  656-5000 


are  a ruthless  mercenary  riding  an 
"anti-grav  pioncycle,"  ready  to 
plunder  this  new  wasteland  for  all 
it's  worth.  You'll  battle  other  inter- 
stellar looters  and  a huge  variety  of 
mechanical  monstrosities  in  your 
quest  for  untold  riches,  Weapons, 
armor,  and  power-ups  are  all  yours 
for  the  taking,  whether  you  stum- 
ble across  them  or  pick  them  up 
off  the  biker  you  just  fragged. 

Too  Tough  to  Handle 

The  game  features  1 5 linear,  yet 
marginally  confounding,  levels — 
some  of  which  have  time  restric- 
tions. Veteran  first-person  gamers 
will  want  to  note  that  FORSAKEN  is 
so  chock-full  of  evil  that  even 
"Easy"  mode  is  tough,  with  more 
airborne  craft,  ground  vehicles, 
fixed  emplacements,  and  explosive 
mines  than  you  can  shake  a 
Pyrolite  Rifle  at. 

Even  worse,  FORSAKEN's  adver- 
saries have  a penchant  for  materi- 
alizing out  of  thin  air.  And  although 
they  will  pursue  you  and  dodge 
approaching  ordnance,  there  is  no 
rhyme  or  reason  to  their  travels. 
Worse  still,  fixed  guns  sometimes 
appear  in  previously  "cleaned" 
rooms,  mines  sometimes  pop  up 
only  as  you  pass  over  them,  and 
collapsing  roofs  come  into  sight 
only  after  you  proceed  beneath 
them.  This  is  one  dastardly  title, 
made  bearable  on/y  by  the  fact 
that  game  saves  can  be  executed 


LOAD  IT  UP...AGAIN 
FORSAKEN  is  a visual  treat, 
but  its  gameplay  can  get 
repetitive.  You'll  die  often 
and  reload  often.  This  is  one 
tough  game. 


at  any  time. 

Frustrating? 

Yes,  especially  when 
game  load  times  some- 
times approached  20  sec- 
onds on  my  P200  rig  with 
its  12x  CD-ROM  drive. 

Thankfully,  available  weaponry 
is  plentiful  and  can  be  downright 
amazing.  My  current  favorite  is  the 
"Pine  Mine,"  a floating  missile 
platform  that  ignores  the  depositor 
while  blowing  the  bejesus  out  of 
any  enemy  in  the  vicinity. 

She's  a Beauty 

Speaking  of  blowing  up  stuff, 
FORSAKEN  is  indeed  a cataclysmic 
affair,  If  my  Voodoo^-enhanced  sys- 
tem is  any  indication,  owners  of  3D 
accelerators  will  savor  a fiery. 


EAT  MY  DUST 

This  is  Nubia,  one  of  the  many 
intergalactic  mercenaries  you 
compete  against  to  plunder 
the  treasures  in  the  bowels  of 
our  irradiated  Earth. 

acceleration  will  have  to  take  a 
substantial  detail  hit  just  to  get 
frame-rates  up  to  snuff.  And  even 
then,  the  visuals  are  not  nearly  as 


SHINE  A LIGHT  ON  ME  With  3D  acceleration,  the  graphics  are 
spectacular,  featuring  lots  of  great  lighting,  ftanslucencies, 
shading,  and  all  sorts  of  visual  goodies.  Without  acceleration, 
however,  FORSAKEN  is  far  from  breathtaking. 


effects-laden  experience  that  sur- 
passes virtually  every  other  game 
in  existence.  Lighting,  shading, 
blending,  underwater  effects — all 
the  reasons  that  you  buy  a 3D  card 
are  showcased  here  in  spectacular 
state-of-the-art  style.  One  firefight 
was  so  earth-shaking  {culminating 
in  searing  white  light,  severe 
screen  shake,  and  cranium-rocking 
audio  bursts),  I was  certain  my 
monitor  had  imploded! 

Sadly,  gamers  without  hardware 


spectacular.  Nevertheless,  objects 
are  at  least  as  solid  as  those  in 
QUAKE,  and  are  beautifully  defined 
through  multiple  textures,  making 
this  gameworld  very  convincing. 

With  multiplayer  support  for  up 
to  16  trigger-happy  warriors  and 
an  overtly  sexist/sexy  FORSAKEN 
babe  calendar  included  in  the  box. 
Acclaim's  latest  is  a sensory  joy, 
even  if  the  gameplay  is  a bit  too 
tough  and  the  underlying  concept 
none  too  original.  TCd'.v 


k COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 


ii.computergaming.com 


www.sierrastuiJios.  com 

STUDIOS  All  nglits  rcscn^U. 

Go  to  #099  @ www.computergaming.coin/infolink 


relic 


REVIEW  • MIGHT  AND  MAGIC  VI:  THE  MANDATE  OF  HEAVEN 


Heaven  Sent 

The  Classic  M&M  RPG  Series  Makes  a Triumphant  Return 


by  Scorpia 

It's  been  so  long  since  a new 
MIGHT  & MAGIC  was  released 
that  fans  of  the  popular  fan- 
tasy role-playing  series  were 
beginning  to  fear  that  they 
would  never  see  one  again. 
There  was  plenty  of  talk,  but 
nothing  in  the  way  of  prod- 
uct, as  New  World  Computing 
shifted  its  focus  to  the  HEROES  OF 
MIGHT  AND  MAGIC  Strategy  games 
instead.  Now,  MIGHT  AND  MAGIC 
VI:  THE  MANDATE  OF  HEAVEN  is 
here  at  last,  and  there  is,  indeed, 
much  to  talk  about. 

The  storyline,  set  in  the  HEROES 
world  of  Enroth,  is  typical  RPG 
fare:  King  Roland  of  the  ironfist 
line  has  disappeared;  in  the  wake 
of  his  disappearance  has  come  a 
multitude  of  bad  omens,  disasters, 
evil  cults,  and  hordes  of  monsters 
roaming  the  countryside.  People 

APPEAL:  All  fan- 
tasy RPG  fans, 
especially  MIGHT 
AND  MAGIC 
groupies. 

PROS:  Epic 
game;  challenging 
gam^lay;  immer- 
sive 3D  graphics; 
great  tum-based/real-time  combat 
system:  addictive. 

CONS:  Characters  start  out  too  weak 
and  advance  slowly;  all  races  eliminated 
from  previous  games  except  humans; 
game  is  balanced  very  tough  against 
players. 

DIFFICULTY:  Intermediate. 

SYSTEM  REQUIREMENTS: 

Pentium  90,  Windows  95  or  NT,  1 6MB 
RAM,  200MB  hard-drive  space,  4x  CD- 
ROM,  PC1 1 MB  VRAM  graphics  card, 
sound  card. 

3D  SUPPORT:  None. 

MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Nona 

Price:  $■19.95 

Developer;  New  World  Computing 
Publisher;  3D0 
Redwood  City,  CA 
(■1)5)  261-3000 


are  even  beginning  to  think  that 
the  Ironfist  dynasty  has  lost  "the 
mandate  of  heaven,"  its  divine 
right  to  rule. 

Everything  Old 
Is  New  Again 

The  basic  framework  is  standard 
MIGHT  & MAGIC,  familiar  to  all 
who  have  played  the  series.  Your 
party  of  adventurers  visits  various 
towns  and  castles  to  take  on 
quests  for  glory,  money,  goodies, 
and — what's  most  important — 
experience.  Beyond  that,  however, 
much  has  changed. 

Party  size  has  been  reduced 
from  six  to  four  persons.  Human  is 
the  only  race  available;  you  can  say 
goodbye  to  those  Half-Ore  knights 
and  Elven  mages.  Professions  have 
also  been  downsized  to  six:  knight, 
paladin,  archer,  cleric,  sorcerer,  and 
druid.  These  classes  do  retain  their 
abilities.  Paladins  still  get  cleric 
spells,  archers  learn  sorcerer  magic, 
and  druids  combine  both  cleric  and 
sorcerer  abilities. 

But,  despite  the  downsizing,  life 
isn't  as  simple  as  it  used  to  be.  The 
really  big  change  is  the  move  to  a 


skill-based  system.  Everythingls 
now  a skill.  You  can't  cast  a spell, 
wield  a sword,  or  wear  armor  with- 
out the  appropriate  skill.  Sorcerer 
magic  has  been  split  into  the  four 
schools  of  earth,  air,  fire,  and 
water — each  considered  a sepa- 
rate skill.  Likewise,  cleric  magic  is 
divided  among  mind,  body,  and 
spirit.  A character  must  have  the 
skill  in  that  school  of  magic  before 


he  or  she  can  learn  (and  cast) 
spells  from  it.  It's  the  same  for 
weapons  and  armor.  You  must 
have  the  sword  skill,  for  instance, 
before  you  can  even  equip  a 
sword,  or  chain  skill  before  you  can 
wear  chain-mail  armor. 

There  are  more  complications, 
however.  Just  having  these  skills 
isn't  enough;  they  must  be 
improved  over  time.  Skills  have 
ranks — starting  at  1 — and  these 
ranks  determine  how  well  the  per- 
son does  when  using  the  skill. 
Improving  skills  is  done  with  points 
obtained  when  you  level  up.  The 
trick  is,  the  number  of  points 
required  increases  every  time  you 
advance  a level,  making  skill 
improvement  a very  slow  process. 

Character  creation  has  changed 
greatly  in  the  light  of  this  new  skill 
system.  There  is  no  more  dice- 
rolling. When  you  choose  a profes- 
sion, it  comes  with  preset  statistics 
(the  familiar  group  of  might,  intel- 
lect, personality,  speed,  luck, 
endurance,  and  accuracy)  and  two 
skills.  You  then  pick  two  more 
starting  skills  for  the  character 
from  a list  that  varies  by  class. 
Finally,  you  increase  the  stats  of 
your  choice  for  all  four  characters 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


i'.computergatning.i; 


EVERYTHING  is 
now  a skill.  You 
can't  cast  a spell, 
wield  a sword,  or 
wear  armor 
without  the 
appropriate  skill. 


from  a pool  of  50  bonus  points.  To 
learn  any  new  skills,  you'll  have  to 
join  the  appropriate  guild  and  pay 
a (usually  inexpensive)  fee. 

Mad  Monster  Party 

The  next  big  change  is  that 
towns  are  no  longer  monster- 
infested  lairs.  For  the  first  time  in 
the  series,  people  walk  the  streets 
and  live  in  the  houses.  You  can 
even  talk  to  them.  Conversations 
are  limited,  though;  generally,  peo- 
ple have  only  small  bits  of  informa- 
tion to  relate.  It's  necessary  to 
check  ail  the  buildings,  however, 
since  that's  where  trainers,  guild 
memberships,  and  the  occasional 
person  with  a quest  are  found. 

Combat,  as  you  may  have 
heard,  can  be  in  realtime  or  turn- 
based.  Given  the  speed  and  zig- 
zag movement  of  most  opponents, 
turn-based  is  the  mode  of  choice 
most  of  the  time.  Simply  hitting  the 
Enter  key  initiates  turn-based  com- 
bat— although  if  a monster  was 
already  shooting  off  a spell  or  mis- 
sile, that  action  will  complete 
before  everything  freezes.  The  party 
can't  move,  except  to  turn  in  place, 
while  the  turn  mode  is  active. 
Monsters,  however,  can  move 
freely  around  the  area  when  their 
own  turns  come  up.  Of  course,  you 
can  hit  Enter  again  at  any  time  to 
break  out  of  turn  mode,  at  which 
point  you  can  either  flee  or  move 
around  at  will. 

The  gameworld  is  unbelievably 
huge,  and  traveling  around  the 
land  is  accomplished  by  various 
methods:  taking  passage  on  a ship; 
hiring  a coach;  walking;  or  using 
those  two  old  spellbook  favorites. 
Town  Portal  and  Lloyd's  Beacon. 
The  game  sports  a new  look  in  its 
maps,  too.  A small  one  in  the  upper 


right  displays  your  immediate  sur- 
roundings. With  the  Wizard  Eye 
spell  active,  it  also  shows  locations 
of  people  as  green  squares,  hos- 
tiles  as  red  ones,  and  goodies  to 
pick  up  as  blue  ones.  The  world 
map  displays  the  entire  sector  or 
dungeon  level,  but  only  those  parts 
you've  already  visited.  Dungeon 
maps — black  and  white  draw- 
ings— can  be  scrolled  in  four  direc- 
tions, and  you  can  also  zoom  in  for 
close-ups,  which  are  handy  for  the 
more  complicated  layouts. 

Graphically,  MIGHT  AND  MAGIC 
Vi's  new  look  is  quite  good. 
Monsters  and  people  hold  defini- 
tion well  in  close-ups,  and  there  is 
a definite  3D  feel  to  the  outdoors. 
The  flat  look  of  the  earlier  games  is 
gone.  The  music  is  equally  good 
and  doesn't  get  on  your  nen/es.  A 
tune  plays  for  several  minutes 
when  you  first  enter  a location, 
then  fades  away.  You  don't  hear 
music  again  unless  you  restore  a 
game  or  cross  a boundary,  such  as 
entering  or  leaving  a dungeon,  or 
moving  from  one  sector  to  another. 

Someone  Heal  Me 

MANDATE  OF  HEAVEN  is  difficult, 
primarily  because  you  have  a 
weaker  party  than  in  earlier  games. 
It's  smaller  in  size,  and  the  charac- 
ters never  quite  have  the  power 
they  had  before.  I missed  the  ruby 
chain  mail,  the  diamond  plate,  and, 
most  especially,  obsidian  weapons. 
Weapons  here  have  been  scaled 
down  almost  to  a mundane  level. 

The  spells  also  seem  weaker. 
Protection/Enhancement  spells  pre- 
viously lasted  until  the  party  rested 
or  the  next  dawn,  whichever  came 
first.  Now,  their  duration  is  in 
hours,  tied  to  the  magic  skill  used 
to  cast  them,  and  time  in  this 
game  passes  very  swiftly,  indeed. 
Offensive  spells  fare  no  better, 
mostly  because  they're  inconsis- 
tent. It's  frustrating  to  hit  a mon- 
ster for  100  points  one  round,  and 
on  the  next — same  monster,  same 
spell — do  only  10. 

This  is  a serious  matter,  because 
the  dungeons,  especially  the  later 
ones,  are  full  of  high-level  oppo- 
nents with  high-level  hit  points. 

You  have  to  play  hide-and-seek  or 


peekaboo  to  draw  them  out  and 
fight  them  one  or  two  at  a time.  It 
goes  on  dungeon  after  dungeon, 
making  an  already  huge  game 
unnecessarily  longer.  Dangerous 
heroes  need  dangerous  toys:  pow- 
erful weapons  and  potent  spells 
that  work  consistently.  Without 
them,  combat  becomes  a burden 
instead  of  a pleasure. 

The  skill  system  isn't  a bad  idea, 
but  given  the  reduced  party  size 
and  the  number  of  skills  that  need 
to  be  learned,  the  points  should  be 
more  generous.  And  it's  silly  to 
require  skills  for  everything. 
Characters  should  be  able  to  at 
least  use  permitted  weapons  or 
armor  without  skill,  even  if  they 
can't  use  it  very  well. 


The  automap,  while  very  nice, 
could  use  a note-taking  facility.  I 
often  wished  i could  mark  down 
where  a trainer,  person  with  a 
quest,  or  someone  who  bought 
special  items  resided.  Some  towns 
are  quite  big,  and  you  can't  always 
remember  exactly  where  they  are. 

But,  overall,  though  some  of  its 
features  could  use  some  tweaking, 
MIGHT  & MAGIC  VI  is  a welcome 
game  indeed.  There  is  a pretty 
broad  hint  at  the  end  that  there 
will  be  a Part  VII;  when  it  shows 
up,  we'll  hope  that  its  gameplay  is 
somewhat  better  balanced  toward 
the  player  side.  In  the  meanwhile, 
MIGHT  & MAGIC  fans  have  an  epic 
here  that  should  keep  them  busy 
for  months  to  come.  [S3!J 


1 8onni«  ftocterdam  wiH  buy  feathers  for 
. each  in  Free  Haven. 


range  liguid  grants  Intellect. 


hqutd  grants  Endurance. 


IT'S  MY  PARTY  Although  party  size  has  been  reduced 
from  six  to  four,  you  can  now  hire  NPCs  who  will  follow 
you  around  and  provide  special  bonuses. 


MAKE  A NOTE  OF  THAT  The  game's  robust  note-taking 
feature  keeps  track  of  many  things,  including  open 
quests,  fountain  locations,  and  potion  mixtures.  An  map 
you  could  edit  would  have  been  nice,  too,  though. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ♦ AUGUST  1998 


A 


y.computergaming.c 


ou  know  the  feeling.  It  sets  in  around  the  5th  or  6th  pot.  It's  a bit 
beyond  the  traditional  adrenaline  rush.  Weil,  that's  what  it  feels  like 
when  you  get  to  the  5th  and  6th  cylinders  in  Dead  Reckoning. 
And  with  9 more  cylinders  left  to  conquer,  each  featuring  a more 
challenging  alien  opponent  than  the  last,  you'll  be  wired  for  days. 

So  don't  put  your  plans  for  universal  domination  on  the  backburner. 
Check  out  the  Dead  Reckoning  web  site  at  www.deadreck.com  now 
and  look  for  this  addictive  game  to  hit  store  shelves  near  you  soon. 


Dead  Reckoning  is  nnassive  nnultsi-player'  fun  t:o  t:he  las't  dnop 


• 15  unique  cylindrical  battlefields 

Customize  your  game  by  selecting  wingmen, 
ships  and  opponents  ^ 

Battle  other  players  via  internet,  modem,  IPX  or 
direct  connection 

• Designed  to  take  full  advantage  of  3D  card  acceleration 


EWSSBuM 


i'l 

It  k V 

1 

■''til 

/ 

gii 

Warning;  THIS  game  Is  served  scorching  HOT.  || 

■5^ 

iLl  i’^l' 

^ ■" 

’’■Ml  lJl 

You  play  games.  Savage3D'” 


makes  chose  games  better. 


More  realistic.  How?  With  . 


stuff  like  single  pass  crilinear 


filtering,  S3  texture  compression, 


true  color  rendering  and 


AGP  texturing.  All  of  which 


means  you  get  more  complex 


and  visually  compelling  3D 


environments,  more  realistic 


3D  games,  and  no  compromise 


performance.  Now  go  get  it. 


just  don’t  hurt  yourself, 


WARNING 


S3  IS  NOT  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  NAUSEA,  SEIZURES, 
COMPOUND  FRACTURES,  COLLAPSED  LUNGS.  DIS- 
MEMBERMENT, HAIR  LOSS  AND/OR  FLATULENCE 
EXPERIENCED  AS  A RESULT  OF  USING  THE 
SAVAGE3D  CHIP. 


Ml  TANK  PLATOON  II  • REVIEW 


Platoon  Too  Soon 

Despite  a Long  Gestation,  This  Combat  Sim  Is  Not  Ready  for  Prime  Time 


by  Patrick  C.  Miller 

In  February  1991,  the  Ml 
Abrams  main  battle  tank 
played  a decisive  role  In 
quickly  ending  the  Persian 
Gulf  War.  Its  high-tech 
combination  of  speed,  fire- 
power. and  armor  protection 
proved  devastatingly  lethal 
in  the  hands  of  well-trained  and 
well-led  American  tankers.  Years  of 
refinements  and  improvements 
helped  the  Ml  shake  its  early 
image  as  a costly  lemon  and  earn 
its  title  as  King  of  the  Killing  Fields. 

In  1 943,  the  German  Army 
rushed  its  Panther  medium  tank 
out  of  production  and  into  battle. 
Initially  plagued  by  technical 
problems,  the  Panther  was  a dis- 
appointing performer  during  its 
combat  debut  at  the  battle  of 
Kursk.  However,  with  improve- 
ments, it  went  on  to  earn  a repu- 
tation as  one  of  the  best  tanks  of 
World  War  It. 


APPEAL:  Armor 
enthusiasts  veiling  to 
overlook  obvious  faults 
in  a sim. 

PROS:  Excellent  graph- 
ics and  sound  create  a 
realistic  in-tank  experi- 
ence; wide  variety  of  missions  and  cam- 
paigns; role-playing  aspect;  multiplayer 
support 

CONS;  Released  too  soon;  plagued  by 
abysmal  manual,  bugs,  poor  design  deci- 
sions, and  lack  of  polish. 

DIFFICULTY  LEVEL:  Intermediate. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  133, 
Windows  95, 1 6MB  RAM,  4x  CD-ROM, 
200MB  hard-drive  space,  DirectX  5.0, 
SVGA  graphics,  mouse,  joystick  recom- 
mend^. 

3D  SUPPORT:  3Dfx. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem 
and  serial  (2  players),  LAN  (2-5  players); 
1 CD  per  player. 


Price:  J50 

Publisher:  MicroPtose 
(510)864-4550 


HUNTER-KILLER  The  CfTV 
looks  impressive.  Unfor- 
tunately, a game  bug  pre- 
vents gamers  from  taking 
full  advantage  of  it 


example,  the  manual  says  that  a 
tank  platoon  can  be  divided  into 
sections,  but  this  isn't  the  case.  The 
War  College  library  and  training 
clips  are  helpful,  but  they  don't 
provide  nearly  enough  detail, 

Even  more  confusing,  the 
game's  READ, ME  file  advises  play- 
ers to  ignore  the  commands  listed 
in  the  manual  and  use  the  quick- 
reference  card  instead,  Unfortu- 
nately, several  important  keyboard 
commands  listed  on  the  card  don't 
work.  And  many  gamers  have 
reported  that  some  buttons  and 
hat  switches  are  nonfunctional  on 
brand  name  joysticks. 


The  275-page  manual  is  packed 
with  interesting  information  about 
weapons,  organization,  doctrine, 
and  tactics.  Unfortunately,  it  fails  to 
cover  basic  game  mechanics,  such 
as  how  to  move  in  reverse  and  the 
correct  procedure  for  firing  at  mov- 
ing targets.  Even  worse,  some  of 
the  features  described  in  the  man- 
ual aren't  included  in  the  game.  For 


If  MicroProse's  Ml  TANK 
PLATOON  was  the  Abrams  of  1 989, 
then  Ml  TANK  PLATOON  Ills  the 
Panther  of  1 998.  The  original  simu- 
lation took  the  computer  gaming 
world  by  storm  and  is  considered 
an  all-time  classic.  However,  the 
long-awaited,  much-anticipated 
sequel  is  riddled  with  bugs  and 
poor  design  decisions.  When  you 
take  into  account  its  hopelessly 
inadequate  manual,  there's  no  way 
to  escape  the  conclusion  that  this 
game  was  released  prematurely, 


Armour  Amour 

Despite  that,  the  latest  version 
of  Ml  is  one  of  the  most  realistic 
tank  simulations  currently  avail- 
able. With  impressive  3Dfx-accel- 
erated  graphics  and  sound,  the 
game  is  capable  of  providing  an 
immersive  environment,  as  well 
as  challenging,  intense,  and 
exciting  gameplay,  By  the  time 
you  read  this,  a patch  addressing 
many  of  the  game's  problems 
(too  numerous  to  detail  here) 
should  be  available,  along  with  a 
FAQ  covering  inconsistencies  and 
omissions  in  the  manual. 


THE  KING  Derided  in  the  popular  press  as  too  expensive  and 
unreliable,  the  Ml  A2  has  proven  itself  to  be  a lethal  adversary 
in  combat  But  in  Ml  TANK  PLATOON  11,  the  opposition  is  better 
equipped  and  more  willing  to  fight  than  were  the  Iraqis  in  '91. 


v.computergaPTiing.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 


REVIEW  • M1  TANK  PLATOON  II 


TEAM  DAKOTA  The  ability  to  personalize  your 
platoon  by  naming  its  tanks  and  crew  mem* 
bers  adds  a toudi  of  role-playing  to  the 
simulation.  Grew  skills  improve  with  experi- 
ence, promotions,  and  medals. 


ON  CAMPAIGN  The  Cold  War  might  be  over, 
but  potential  global  trouble  spots  abound. 

A second  war  against  Iraq  provides  the 
backdrop  for  one  of  Ml  TANK  PLATOON'S  five 
campaigns. 


I Want  My  CITV 

Perhaps  the  game's  greatest 
faux  pas  is  its  treatment  of  the 
commander's  independent  thermal 
viewer  (CITV).  This  feature  sepa- 
rates the  Ml A2  from  previous 
models  of  the  Abrams  and  other 
modern  main  battle  tanks.  It 
enables  the  commander  to  search 
and  designate  targets  for  the  gun- 
ner, But  a bug  in  the  program  ren- 
ders it  useless  in  the  game.  Under 
Al  control,  gunners  fire  off  their 
tank's  limited  supply  of  special-pur- 
pose ammunition  and  constantly 
countermand  orders  to  load  specif- 
ic ammo  types,  making  the  job  of 
tank  commander  more  frustrating 
than  it  should  be. 

Some  design  decisions  defy 
logic.  For  example,  the  manual 
emphasizes  using  the  commander's 
.50-caliber  machine  gun  for  anti- 
aircraft defense  and  destroying 
light-armor  vehicles.  However,  the 
weapon's  usefulness  is  greatly 
reduced  because  there  is  no  binoc- 
ular view,  no  night  vision  capabil- 
ity, and  nothing  to  help  the  gamer 
orient  which  direction  the  machine 
gun  is  facing.  Overall,  the  design 
demonstrates  a poor  sense  of 
knowing  when  to  accurately  por- 
tray reality  and  when  to  make  con- 
cessions to  gameplay. 

Gameplay  in  Ml  II  is  quite  similar 
to  the  original,  with  a few  varia- 
tions. You  start  by  creating  a pla- 
toon attached  to  either  a U.S,  Army 
armor  or  cavalry  unit  or  a Marine 
Corps  unit,  which  determines  the 


type  of  support  your  platoon 
receives  during  missions.  From 
there,  you  can  play  1 of  21  stand- 
alone missions,  join  a randomly 
generated  battle,  or  enter  a cam- 
paign in  the  Persian  Gulf,  North 
Africa,  the  Far  East,  Moldova,  or 
Eastern  Europe.  There  are  also  11 
training  missions. 

Advance  Recon 

Before  entering  battle,  you  get 
briefed  on  the  mission  type,  ground 
support  units  under  your  com- 
mand, and  the  artillery  and  air  sup- 
port you'll  receive.  The  battle 
begins  paused  at  the  map  screen, 
providing  the  opportunity  to  issue 
orders  before  the  shooting  starts. 
From  the  map,  you  issue  move- 


ment commands  to  your  units  and 
instructions  on  formations  and  var- 
ious actions.  By  clicking  on  any 
friendly  unit  and  selecting  the 
external  view,  you  can  get  a battle- 
field view  of  how  it's  faring. 

During  combat,  you  can  jump 
into  any  of  the  four  tanks  in  your 
platoon  and  fight  from  the  gunner's 
station  or  from  the  commander's 
buttoned  and  unbuttoned  stations. 
However,  because  the  commander's 
stations  are  of  limited  use,  you'll 
spend  most  of  your  time  switching 
between  the  map  and  the  gunner's 
station.  After  the  battle,  you  receive 
a performance  report.  Depending 
on  the  mission's  outcome,  points 
are  awarded  to  promote  and  deco- 
rate members  of  your  platoon, 


which,  along  with  battle  experi- 
ence, raises  their  skill  levels. 

Multiplayer  support  is  provided 
for  LAN,  modem,  and  serial  play. 
Random  scenarios  and  campaigns 
can  be  played  cooperatively 
against  the  opposing  force,  or  one 
gamer  can  control  the  opposing 
force  against  up  to  four  other  play- 
ers. Although  MicroProse  advises 
against  playing  Mill  over  the 
Internet,  when  we  tested  with  two 
players  It  worked  reasonably  well. 

Victory  or  Defeat? 

Even  if  MicroProse  successfully 
patches  all  of  Ml  ll's  problems, 
the  game  will  continue  to  suffer 
from  lack  of  polish  and  inatten- 
tion to  detail.  LONGBOW  2 players 
will  recognize  how  much  better 
Ml  II  could  have  been  if  it  had 
more  of  the  customization  fea- 
tures and  player  configuration 
options.  MicroProse  is  planning 
Mill  expansion  disks  that  could 
extend  the  game's  replay  value. 

Most  hard-core  tank  simulation 
fans  will  find  enough  to  like  in 
Mill  to  overlook  its  obvious 
faults.  Those  who  expect  a rea- 
sonably complete  and  functional 
game  for  their  money  might  want 
to  take  a wait-and-see  approach. 
The  potential  for  a good  game  is 
certainly  there,  but  only  time  will 
tell  whether  MicroProse  can  save 
Mill  from  the  bargain  bin  of 
obscurity,  f '.v 


The  Way  H Should  Have  Shipped 


Less  than  a month  after  Ml  TANK 
PLATOON  tl  hit  the  shelves,  MicroProse 
released  a patch  that  significantly 
improves  the  game.  The  joystick  buttons 
now  function  correctly,  and  most  of  the 
keyboard  commands  do  what  they  were 
always  supposed  to  do. 

The  commander's  unbuttoned  view  Is  far 
more  useful,  thanks  to  the  addition  of  binoc- 
ulars and  night  vision.  There's  also  artwork 
showing  the  main  gun  and  upper  portions  of 
the  turret,  which  helps  orient  the  view. 

Artillery  can  now  fire  smoke  screens, 
although  MicroProse  recommends  that  this 


feature  be  used  on  high-end  systems  only. 
The  CITV  Is  functional  and  the  gunner  no 
longer  overrides  gamer  commands. 

Most  bugs  and  design  decisions  that  cre- 
ated gameplay  irritations  were  also  fixed. 
Direct  3D  support  was  added  for  Matrox 
Millennium  and  Intel  740  3D  accelerators. 
MicroProse  released  a FAQ  covering  some  of 
the  Important  game  mechanics  in  detail. 

With  a little  more  beta  testing,  tweaking 
and  a decent  manual,  this  could  have  been  a 
four-star  game — or  better.  Unfortunately, 
the  game  MicroProse  chose  to  ship  to  stores 
didn't  warrant  the  CGl/Vseal  of  approval. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  - AUGUST  1998 


I'.computergaming. 


cpCC  Guide  to 
rilLL  Power  Protection 

□ YES!  I want  to  know  how  to  choose  the  right  UPS  for  my  system. 

Please  send  me  my  FREE  Solutions  guide.  . 

□ NO,  I'm  not  interested  at  this  time  but  please  add  me  to  your 

mailing  list. 

Name:  

Title: Company: 

Address:  


City/Town:  

State; Zip; Country  

Phone: 

Brand  of  UPS  used?  # 

Brand  of  PCs  used?  # 

Brand  of  Servers  used? S 

®1998  ARC.  All  Trademarks  are  the  property  of  their  owners.  BPICBEB-US  ■ E-mail;  apcinfoigapcc.c 


Just  mail  or  fax  this 
completed  coupon  (or 
your  FREE  Solutions  Guide. 
Better  yet,  order  it  today  at 
the  web  address  below! 


wrcaioui  fowm  cokyu»on 


FRANCE  9e 


http://promo.apcc.com  nfinS? 

(8B8)  28g-APCCx8392  • FAX:  (401)  788-2797 


13?  Fairgrounds  Road,  West  Kingston,  RI  0?892  USA 


NO  POSTAGE 
NECESSARY 
IF  MAILED 
IN  THE 

UNITED  STATES 


BUSINESS  REPLY  MAIL 

FIRST-CLASS  MAIL  PERMIT  NO.  36  WEST  KINGSTON,  Rl 


POSTAGE  WILL  BE  PAID  BY  ADDRESSEE 


AMERICAN  POWER  CONVERSION 


DEPT.  D608Z 

132  FAIRGROUNDS  ROAD 

PO  BOX  278 

WEST  KINGSTON  Rl  02892-9920 


DESIGNED 
TO  LAST  A 

LIFETIME! 


The  Site  Wiring  Fault  Indicator  lets  you  know 
when  ARC  UPS  units  automatically  identily 
''  .yjjr;:-  building  wiring  problem 


■flesf  Uninterruptible  Power  Supply'  “With  its  wealth  of 
features...,  APC  Back-UPS  Pro  makes  it  easy  to  protect 
your  equipment  and  data  electrical  surges, 

brownouts,  and  Wocfeoiifs. " 


'Long  Lasting' 

"Back-UPS  Pro  was  our  fai’oritc  unit....  [it]  wo. 
honors  in  our  battery  life  tests" 


CellGuard'"  intelligent  battery  management  extends  battery  life, 
and  speeds  recharging  and  automatically  tests  battery  status. 


I Back-UPS 

Pro 

;6  5 0; 


arc's  innovative  multipath  protection  guards  against  damaging  surges 
carried  on  both  AC  power  Lines  and  network/telephone/modem  lines. 

The  QuickSwap'"  user-replaceable  battery  system 
lets  you  renew  the  UPS  system  and  avoid  fectory 
service  delays.  (Batteries  typically  last  3 - 6 years) 


Nothing 


Lasts  Longer 


PowerChute’  plus  power  management  software  lets  you 
configure  UPS  response  to  over  twenty  events.  The  soft-  ' 

ware  can  also  automatically  save  data,  close  programs,  • ' 

and  shut  down  your  computer,  even  if  you're  not  there.  cauHiaf 


A push-button  circuit  breaker  means  quick 
recovery  from  overloads  caused  by  surges. 


Automatic  Voltage  Regulation  (AVR)  let  you  work  through  the 
deepest  prolonged  brownouts  without  wasting  battery  power. 


APC  protects  your  data  and  guarantees  the  longest  runtime 


If  you  like  games,  you  probably  won't 
like  these  odds:  You  have  a better 
chance  of  winning  the  lottery  than  of 


avoiding  the  sting  of  bad  power. 
Considering  a power  related  com- 
puter crash  could  turn  your  high 
scores  into  electronic  garbage  and 
rob  you  of  impending  victory, 
playing  on  an  unprotected  com- 
puter can  quickly  make  a chal- 
lenging game  impossible.  But 
why  worry?  APC  Back-UPS  Pro’ 
easily  stops  bad  power  from  ruin- 
ing your  day. 

The  leading  cause  of  data  loss:  Sags 
Power  sags  are  the  single  largest 
reason  power  users  end  up  pulling 
out  their  hair  over  lost 
data.  These  undervolt- 
ages are  easily  correct- 
ed through  APC 
Back-UPS  Pro’s 
Automatic  Voltage 


AvMMe  at:  PGOft&P 


Regulation  and  instantaneous  battery  backup.  Of 
course,  if  the  sags  turns  into  a complete  outage, 
you're  still  covered:  APC’s  software  will  auto- 
matically save  open  Hies  and  safely 
shut  down  your  computer,  even  if 
you're  not  at  your  desk,  So  why  make  a 
victory  impossible  when  you  can  pre- 
vent the  problem  with  APC? 


APC  Back-UPS,  Back-UPS 
Office,  Back-UPS  Pro; 
will  provide  runtime 
which  meets  or  exceeds 
that  of  any  same  VA 
UPS  for  desktop  PC 
applications  or  your 
money  back. 

For  policy  information, 
visit  www.apcccom 


Multipath:  one  unit  protects  everything 
APC  protects  everything:  CPU,  monitor, 
external  modern,  laser  printer,  fax 
machine,  zip  drive,  you  name  il.  And 
since  phone  and  network  lines  carry 
dangerous  surges,  your  CPU  and 
modem  benefit  from  APC  Back- 
__  ' UPS  Pro  telephone/  network 
surge  suppression. 

B 

v?c  It's  no  wonder  APC  is  the  world’s 
” best-selling  desktop  power 

protection. 


miCToccn^ 

(800)347.FAXX  PoweiFa* 


rncci  Guide  to  Power 
rilLLS  Protection 

Ju8t  mail  OP  lax  ibis 
completed  coupon  ton  youi> 

FREE  Solutions  Guide. 

Better  yet,  order  tt  today  at: 


I KEY  CODE  D608Z  I 


□ yES!  I'd  like  more  information.  Please  send  my 
I — I FREE  catalog. 

U NO,  I’m  not  interested  at  this  time  but  please 

add  me  to  your  quarterly  newsletter  mailing  list. 


City/Town;_ 
State;  


Brand  of  UPS  used?  _ 

Brand  of  PCs  used? 

Brand  of  Servers  used? 


AHEMCAN  POWER  CONVERSION 


FRANCeVB 


E-malb  apdnfD@apcc.co 


9-APCCj(8MZ  • WX:  {«1)  788-2797  _ j 

132  Fairgrounds  Road,  West  Kingston,  RI  02892  USA 


IT’S  TIME  YOU 


i S 

SAW  THE  FUTURE 


You've  witnessed  some  of  the  greatest  moments  in  NASCAR's  50-year  history, 


Some  people  wifi  call  it  a collector’s  item.  The  best  selling,  most  realistic  stock  car  sIm 
ever  — NASCAR®  Racing  2 and  the  NASCAR®Grand  National®Series  Expansion  F^k. Together 
in  a special  commemorative  50th  Anniversary  package  from  Sierra  Sports.  But  to  call  it  a 
collector’s  item  would  be  lo  miss  the  point.  Racing.  Sc  oeel  those  stickers.  You  know  you  want  to. 


REVIEW  • PANZER  COMMANDER 


Rommel  Rides  Again 

Even  Without  Smoke  Effects,  PANZER  COMMANDER  Outflanks 
Every  Other  WWII  Tank  Sim  Ever  Made 


by  Jim  Cobb 

For  years,  gamers  have  had 
only  one  serious  World 
War  II  tank  simulation, 
Deadly  Games'  M4 
SHERMAN,  and  even  that 
bordered  on  the  arcade. 
Suddenly,  we  are  deluged 
with  WWII  armor,  from 
Interactive  Magic's  IPANZER  '44 
and  Psygnosis's  upcoming  PANZER 
ELITE  to  PANZER  COMMANDER  from 
SSI — which  for  now  has  the  broad- 
est scope  of  any  of  these  sims. 
Developed  by  Uitimation,  PANZER 
COMMANDER  manages  to  cover 
every  major  tank  battle  in  Europe 
from  1939  to  1945,  as  well  as 
some  interesting  small  engage- 
ments. Gamers  can  pilot  47  differ- 
ent tank  models  from  Germany, 
Russia,  the  U.S.  and  the  U.K. — 
including  just  about  every  Panzer 
or  Crusader  variant  you  can  imag- 
ine. If  that  isn't  comprehensive 
enough,  you'll  also  face  a variety  of 


PROS:  Great 
sound  and  graphics; 
elegant  interface; 
wonderfui  focus; 
accurate  modeling  of  tanks;  and  great 
fun  as  well. 

CONS:  No  smoke;  simplistic  sighting 
and  range  finding;  Al  is  only  fair. 
DIFFICULTY:  intermediate. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  133, 
Windows  95, 1 6MB  RAM,  1 30MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM,  SVGA  graphics, 
16-bit  DirectX-compatible  sound  card. 
3D  SUPPORT:  Direct30, 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  IPX  and 
TCP4P  over  LAN/Intemet. 


FOG  OF  WAR  The  direct  3D  support  (espedally  3Dfx)  really 
spices  things  up  in  PANZER  COMMANDER.  But  Me  fog  and  light- 
ing effects  can't  totally  make  up  for  the  lack  of  smoke  saeens. 


" nonplayer"  tanks  used  by  the  Al, 
which  are  more  than  the  usual 
placeholding  targets.  Basically,  if  a 
tank  isn't  represented  in  PANZER 
COMMANDER,  it  didn't  make  much 
of  an  impact  during  the  war. 

WWII  in  D3D 

Still,  when  you  first  boot  the 
game,  it's  not  the  comprehensive- 
ness that  strikes  you  so  much  as 
the  graphics.  The  3D-supported 
views  are  not  only  staggering, 
they're  also  beyond  mere  eye- 
candy.  The  treads  and  bogies  move, 
and  tread  marks  appear  as  the 
steel  behemoths  roll.  Trees,  walls, 
and  onion-domed  churches  stand 
out  as  landmarks  and  cover.  You 
can  easily  make  out  tactically 
important  folds  in  the  terrain  from 
the  internal  tank  view,  where  the 
feel  is  enhanced  by  the  head-rock- 
ing vibrations  as  you  clank  along 
the  battlefield. 

Combined  with  the  model-spe- 
cific engine  noises,  clank  of  treads, 
and  detailed  combat  sounds,  the 
graphics  provide  an  unsurpassed 
you-are-there  feel.  The  external 
views  of  all  vehicles  are  as 


painstakingly  crafted  as  any  pro- 
fessional model,  and  even  the 
wrecks  show  more  detail  than  just 
the  odd  flame  and  billow  of  smoke. 
Strafing  aircraft  look  very  close  to 
what  tank  crews  would  have  seen 
if  they  cared  to  stop  dodging.  The 
visual  effects  of  movement  have 
direct  consequence  for  play. 
Crewmembers  won't  spot  the 
enemy  quickly  when  bouncing 
around  on  a rocky  area.  And  in  one 
of  those  rare  cases  in  which  game- 
play  and  realism 
blend  perfectly, 
tanks  must  be 
halted  in  order  to 
fire  accurately; 
deceleration  and 
holding  your  ve- 
hicle steady  on  a 
downslope  can 
seriously  affect 
that  all-important 
first  shot. 

Great  effects 
are  mere  sound 
and  fury,  however, 
unless  they're 
incorporated  into 
a pertinent  con- 


text and  an  accurate  model,  and 
PANZER  COMMANDER  provides  that 
context  in  spades.  The  gamer  is  a 
mere  platoon  leader,  commanding 
one  to  three  tanks  other  than  his 
own.  Platoon  orders  are  limited  to 
formations  (column,  echelon,  line 
wedge,  crescent)  and  targeting 
specific  enemies.  Afterward,  you 
are  free  to  handle  your  own  ve- 
hicle, using  seven  vehicle  views 
and  an  optional  external  view.  As 
commander,  you  can  stand  in  the 
turret  hatch,  scanning  with  binocu- 
lars, or  pilot  from  the  buttoned 
cupola.  The  cupola  restricts  views, 
but  it  has  a small  situation  map 
highlighting  terrain  features  (and 
offers  the  option  of  seeing  enemy 
positions).  The  driver’s  view  shows 
the  sights  from  the  hull  and  dis- 
plays fuel  and  engine  temperature 
gauges.  One  gunner's  view  shows 
a broad,  unmagnified  view  with  a 
simple  reticule,  while  the  other 
gunner's  view  is  magnified  and  has 
a range  finder.  Finally,  the  bow 
gunner  can  sight  through  a simple, 
limited-traverse  set  of  cross  hairs.  A 
status  bar  below  all  screens  shows 
ammunition  quantity  and  type, 
speed,  direction,  turret  position, 
waypoints,  and  crew  messages 


MY  AIM  ISN'T  TRUE  Allied  tanks  suffer  the 
indignity  of  their  shells  bouncing  off  a 
German  tank's  front  armor.  Note  that  all 
tanks,  regardless  of  their  nationality,  suffer 
from  realistically  poor  accuracy  when 
attempting  to  fire  as  they  move. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


PANZER  COMMANDER  • REVIEW 


German  Campaigns 

Those  dying  to  play  through  a U.S.  or  British  cam- 
paign will  have  to  wait  for  the  probable  sequel.  You 
can  easily  console  yourself,  however,  by  joining  one 
of  the  following  famous  WWII  formations,  in  which  the 
campaigns  differ  quite  a bit  from  one  unit  to  another; 

21st  Panzer  Division 

Initially  the  5th  Light  Division,  this  unit  was  part  of  the 
original  Afrika  Korps.  It  performed  well  and  went  on  to 
stymie  the  British  around  Caen,  finishing  the  war  in 
Alsace.  If  you  choose  this  formation,  you  begin  in  a 
Panzer  Mk  III  H. 

2nd  Panzer  Division 

This  unit  was  an  original  German  armored  division.  It  led 
German  troops  Into  Austria  and  Czechoslovakia  and 
fought  from  the  first  in  Poland  to  the  bitter  end.  If  you 
choose  this  formation,  you  start  with  a Panzer  38(t). 

Grossdeutschland 

An  elite  unit  during  Weimar,  this  force  first  saw  action  in 
the  breakthrough  in  France,  then  moved  on  to  the  snows 
and  mud  of  the  Soviet  Union.  If  you  want  better  German 
equipment,  this  is  the  place  to  start  You  begin  at  a time 
in  the  unit's  history  when  they'd  just  been  assigned  Panzer 
MK  IV  Ds. 


(delivered  nicely  with  proper  accents). 

These  perspectives  fit  well  into  a fairly 
accurate  model  for  armored  combat.  As 
commander,  you  choose  between  high- 
balling down  a road  and  not  stressing 
your  vehicle,  but  risking  an 
ambush;  or  pushing  over 
rough  terrain,  seeking  hull- 
down  positions  and  flank 
shots,  but  risking  a lost  tread 
or  an  overheated  engine.  A 
sighted  enemy  appears  via 
red  cross  hairs  (suspicious 
buildings  can  be  targeted 
manually).  At  this  point,  the 
gamer,  using  simple  hot-key 
commands,  orders  a halt  and 
has  the  gunner  engage  with 
armor-piercing  (AP)  or  high- 
explosive  (HE)  rounds. 

Depending  on  gunner/loader 
qualities  and  turret  traverse, 
the  enemy  may  succumb 
quickly.  Tougher  situations  call 
for  a master's  touch,  as  you 
take  over  the  gunner's  posi- 
tion and  line  up  the  range 
finder's  dull  cross  hair  with 
the  enemy's  bright  one. 

Casualties  involve  much 
more  than  the  usual  explod- 
ing tank  and  a few  scattered 
polygons.  At  the  worst  time. 


your  turrets  will  jam, 
your  main  gun  drops 
out,  and  crewmem- 
bers, even  your  char- 
acter, get  shot. 
Appropriately,  the 
tank  crews  are  virtu- 
ally helpless  against 
artillery  barrages 
and  enemy  planes. 

All  these  things 
can  happen  in  40 
preset  scenarios  (for 
all  countries),  or  in 
Russian  and  German 
campaigns  involving 
three  divisions  each. 
Each  campaign 
begins  when  that 
division  is  formed 
and  continues  to 
1945  with  the  usual 
promotion,  medals, 
upgrades,  and  crew 
improvements. 
Campaign  battles 
are  fixed  without 
dynamic  outcomes:  the  Germans,  for 
example,  won't  win  the  war.  When  you 
become  bored  with  the  scenarios,  an  edi- 
tor is  provided.  The  Al  is  adequate  on 
defense  but  lacking  in  fire  and  movement. 


DETAILS,  DETAILS  You  can  choose  to  paint 
your  Panzers  in  camouflage  (top)  or  go  for  the 
traditional  battleship  gray  (bottom). 


NAME.  FOR  I AM  THE 


SWORD 


^.computergaming.t 


COMPUT6R  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1 996 


OF  RETRIBUTION. 


You  may  have  the^lent,  y # \ 

but  do  yo VI  have  the  T/\L()A! 

iMagic's  TALOi\l  Campaign  System  gives  you  a brand 
new  mission  each  and  every  time  you  play! 


Multiplayer  options  let  you  play  solo  or  battle 
your  friends  via  modem  or  network, 


Active  Cockpit  provides  the  most  intuitive 
control  system  found  in  a flight  sim. 


Experience  the  thrill  of  catapult  takeoffs  and 
landings  on  an  aircraft  carrier  flight  deck. 


^MAGIC 


P.0.Boxl3491  • Research  Triangle  Park  • NC27709  ||9|HP/>Ti||l|9 
Visit  your  local  retailer,  call  toll  free  1-800-789-1534  or  y 
visit  www.imagicgames.com  for  more  information  lU  taV^J  L"  ~ 
Go  to  #084  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 
IF-18,  TALON,  and  DEMON  are  trademarks  and  Interactive  Magic  is  a registered  trademark  of  Interactive  Magic,  Inc, 

All  other  trademarks  are  property  of  Iheii  respective  owneis.  OCopyright  1998  Interactive  Magic,  Inc.  All  tights  reserved. 


MV 

PANZER  COMMANDER  • REVIEW 


Russian  Campaigns 


12th  Guards  Heavy  Tank 
This  formation  actually  entered  service  as  the  21st 
Tank  Brigade.  After  receiving  KV  1 tanks  in  1941 
(which  is  where  you  come  in),  this  unit  defended 
Moscow.  Later,  it  helped  to  clear  Germans  from  the 
Ukraine  and  ended  the  war  in  Prague. 

5th  Tank  Guards  Corps 

In  its  original  incarnation  as  the  40th  Tank  Division, 
this  unit  was  decimated  in  1941.  It  was  reformed, 
renamed,  and  assigned  BT-7  vehicles.  After  engag- 
ing in  several  1943  battles,  it  moved  on  to  Vienna. 

8th  Guards  Mechanized  Division 
An  original  Guard  unit,  this  unit  fought  at 
Stalingrad  and  Kursk  and  eventually  entered  Berlin. 
As  with  the  5th  Tank,  if  you  choose  this  formation, 
you  begin  with  a BT-7. 


so  gamers  will  eventually  seek  each  other 
out  using  the  multiplayer  capability. 

Playability  Bulge 

Design  compromises  in  a game  as 
broad  as  PANZER  COMMANDER  are 
inevitable.  Some  are  fairly  benign,  such  as 
the  internal  views  for  each  country's  vehi- 
cles, which  are  so  similar  that  a gunner  in 
a Panzer  Mark  III  has  the  same  view  he'd 
get  in  a Tiger  tank.  Others  are  question- 
able, but  barely  affect  play.  The  stereo- 
optical  range  finding  method,  for  exam- 
ple, Is  ahlstorical — but  the  commander 
shouldn't  be  laying  the  guns  anyway, 

But  some  design  choices  run  counter  to 
reality  and  are  detrimental  to  gameplay. 
Enemies  do  not  advertise  their  position 


with  bright  red  cross  hairs. 
Targets  going  out  of  sight 
don't  turn  yellow. 
Combining  AP  and  HE 
ammunition  is  acceptable, 
but  omitting  smoke 
rounds  disregards  a basic 
facet  of  theWWII  battle- 
ground. The  lack  of  an 
Allied  campaign — suppos- 
edly due  to  their  inferior 
equipment — is  a cop-out. 
American  armor  divisions 
found  ways  to  overcome 
the  Sherman's  deficiencies 
to  defeat  superior  German 
units,  and  it'd  be  nice  to 
include  this  in  the  game. 

There  are  a few  techni- 
cal glitches  as  well.  Some 
targets  float,  or  targets  that  are  behind 
cover  appear  to  be  in  front.  Shots  from 
your  tank  can't  demolish  stone  walls  that 
obstruct  line-of-sight.  It's  also  unnecessar- 
ily difficult  to  configure  some  joysticks. 
And  in  one  of  the  rare  interface  problems, 
ordering  other  units  to  engage  uses  the 
same  hot-keys  as  the  speed  for  your  tank. 

Despite  these  quibbles,  however, 
PANZER  COMMANDER  is  an  ambitious  and 
worthy  product,  easily  the  best  VWVII  tank 
sim  yet,  and  the  best  tank  sim — regard- 
less of  era — released  in  many  years.  Now 
all  we  need  is  for  Ultimation  and  SSI  to 
add  realistic  smoke  effects,  a British  North 
African  campaign,  and  maybe  the  U.S, 

2nd  Armored,  and  we'd  have  an  unquali- 
fied gem  on  our  hands. 


HONOR  ISA 

SHAM  WHEN  IT  STANDS 
ON  A PLATFORM  OF 
SLAVERY.  HERE  ON  MARS,  WE'LL 

NEVER  BOW  OUR 

HEADS  FOR  THE  IMPERIAL 
CHAIN  - NEVER!  IN  THE  END, 

FREEDOM'S  THE  ONLY 

TRUE  LIGHT  AGAINST  DARKNESS. 

THE  EMPIRE'S  GOING  TO 


HAVE  TO  LEARN  THE 
HARD  WAY: 


BLOOD  AND  STEEL. 


/.computergdmmg.com 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


e 193a  Sierra  On-Line.  Inc.  All  rigtits  reserved. 


IN  2829,  HUMANITY  HAS  SPREAD  THROUGH 


THE  SOLAR  SYSTEM.  WHEN  CIVIL  WAR 


BREAKS  OUT,  IT  BURNS 


ACROSS  WORLDS 


NOW  THATTHE  HUM. 


ARE  DIVIDED,  THE  REAL 


WAR  IS  ABOUT  TO  BEGIN. 


IN  A WHOLE  NEW  UNIVERSE  OE  3D  combat  sim. 


ON  VENUS,  MERCURY,  AND  A HOST  OF 


MOONS,  BROTHER  is  locked 


WITH  BROTHER  in 


DESPERATE  BATTLE, 


WWW.STARSIEGE.COM  Dynarri/^- 


lOit-LInu,  Ific.  All  tignis  leserved.Oantl  TMdcsignalc  liadoinarks  ol.  oi  licensed  loSieira  On-Line.  Inc. 

Go  to  #150  @ www.computergaming.com/lnfolink 


scalded  < 

,ir>fJ  BLOW  before  they  ki 

doesn't  MC  3 O • 


I pnovc  in  OvMCk 

ALL.  their  Flf 


Hcaw  fipepowep 

S for  suckERs^with  smaLL  JOHOSor. 

Al!  1 need  are  Solar  Collectors 

Oh  


T . . tress  POCkS 

Enter  the  Stratosphere  tournament  on  CasT’s "ladder 


- al  showep.  i,.  Wap  ' Y 

"“4  doom  bolt  qooY 
LMINCHEPS  „o  . SHOewave  i± 

You  dorrf  want  any  of  what  | a 

d prize-  I 

alYpaMsTniriV,  a Panasonic  DVD  playltf 
and  the  movie  “The  Rpckl’ . on . ^D- 


WWW.IIIPCORDGRMES.CaM 


EA  Sports  Strikes  Again  With  Masterful  FIFA  98  Follow-Up 


by  Dave  "Kick  Me  Harder"  Salvator 

EA  Sports  already  has  one 
great  soccer  title  under  its 
belt  this  year:  FIFA  ROAD  TO 
WORLD  CUP  98.  Well,  the 
road  trip  is  over,  the  faithful 
have  arrived,  and  so  has  EA 
with  another  terrific  soccer 
title:  WORLD  CUP  98  , 
Following  FIFA  98  is  no  easy  act, 
but  WC98  delivers  with  beautiful, 
updated  graphics  and  fast,  furious 
gameplay.  It's  just  the  ticket  for 
catching  Cup  fever. 

Kickoff 

WC98  is  roster-accurate  for  each 
of  the  32  teams  that  have  qualified 
for  the  1998  World  Cup,  and  ros- 
ters reflect  recent  personnel 
changes.  At  the  start,  you  can 
choose  which  team  or  teams  you 
want  to  play,  and  then  play  each  of 
the  three  qualifying  round  games 
against  the  other  teams  in  your 
selected  team's  group  (there  are 
eight  four-team  groups  altogether). 
If  your  team's  three-game  record 


MrrcML.  rans 
looking  to  dive  into 
Worid  Cup  action. 

PROS:  Great 
graphics;  frenetic 
gamepiay;  convinc- 
ing ambient  sound. 

CONS:  Keeper 

sometimes  goes  to  sleep;  Al  takes  some 
liberties  on  higher  difficulty  levels 
DIFFICULTY:  Easy. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Windows  95, 
P100, 16MB  RAM,  20M8  hard-drive,  4x 
CD-ROM  drive,  DirectX-compatible 
sound  card. 

3D  SUPPORT;  3Dfx. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem 
or  serial  cable  (1  CD  per  4 players),  LAN 
(2-8  players,  up  to  4 players  per  PC,  one 
CD  per  computer). 

Price:  S49 

Publisher:  EA  Sports 
San  Mateo,  CA 
(650)  572-2897 


and  accrued  points  are  up  to  snuff, 
you  advance.  If  not,  you  go  home. 

France  is  hosting  this  year's  Cup, 
and  EA  has  modeled  all  the  actual 
stadiums.  Each  game  is  played  at 
Its  real-world  scheduled  time, 
which  affects  lighting  conditions 
and  can  affect  weather.  One 
annoyance  is  that  the  stadiums 
have  field-level  billboards,  but 
every  time  a statistic  is  displayed, 
up  pops  a Snickers  ad.  Having 
advertisers  willing  to  pay  for  the 
virtual  billboard  spaces  is  all  well 
and  good  (and  realistic),  but  this 
subtle-as-a-freight-train  hard-sell  is 
downright  irritating. 

Like  FIFA  98,  WC98  has  three 
difficulty  levels:  Amateur, 
Professional,  and  World  Cl?',i.A 
welcome  addition  in  WC98  is  the 
ability  to  throttle  action  using  a 
slider  bar  in  the  Gameplay  options 
menu.  So,  if  it’s  wickedly  fast  you 
want,  you've  got  it.  But  if  your 
twitch  reflexes  aren't  what  they 
used  to  be,  or  you  just  want  to 
take  a little  speed  off  of  the  action, 
that's  an  option  as  well. 

The  Amateur  level  is  true  to  its 
name,  with  defenders  giving  your 
attackers  a wide  berth,  and  keep- 
ers being  unassertive  in  charging. 
Dial  up  the  Ai  to  Professional,  and 
the  defenders  become  more 


aggressive  in  slide  tackles  and 
steals,  with  keepers  more  likely  to 
charge  a would-be  scorer.  World 
Class  takes  that  aggression  to  the 
next  level,  and  should  challenge 
even  the  seasoned  sports  gamer. 

While  the  Al  in  WC98  is  similar 
to  that  in  FIFA  98,  there  are  some 
notable  differences:  Keepers  don't 
always  hold  the  ball  after  a shot 
on  goal,  which  can  make  for 
some  fierce  action  in  the  hot 
zone.  This  means  you'll  often  get 
a second  shot  on  goal,  or  a corner 
kick  if  the  keeper  deflects  the  ball 
out  of  bounds. 

A different  situation  occurs  at 
higher  difficulty  levels:  There  are 
cases  of  the  Al  cheating  outright 
and  often  getting  away  with  dirty 
slide  tackles — either  cleats-up  or  a 
take-down  from  behind — without 


the  officials  noticing.  More  irksome 
still  are  instances  when  you  sprint 
toward  the  ball  with  a fast  player 
using  the  "turbo"  button,  and  the 
computer  player  suddenly  becomes 
bionic  and  blows  past  you  to  reach 
the  ball  first. 

Playing  Skipper 

In  the  Team  Management 
screens,  you  can  adjust  your  line 
formations  (flat  versus  diamond  or 
sweeper,)  as  well  as  how  aggres- 
sive each  player  will  be  in  general 
gameplay,  including  the  all-impor- 
tant keeper.  You  can  also  tweak 
attacking  bias,  which  adjusts  the 
player's  tendency  toward  defend- 
ing versus  attacking.  A new  feature 
in  WC98  is  Man  Marking,  wherein 
you  can  have  specific  opponents 
"marked,"  or  covered  man-to-man, 
by  players  on  your  team.  Though  a 
cool  idea,  you're  not  given  a choice 
as  to  which  of  your  players  will  be 
used,  so  the  feature  seems  only 
half-implemented.  Another  handy 
feature  is  the  addition  of  several 
In-Game  Management  configura- 
tions, which  lets  you  readily  call  up 
saved  settings,  rather  than  having 
to  manually  reconfigure  each  time. 

The  final  game  often  comes 
down  to  a penalty  shoot-out, 
which  would  make  for  some  nail- 
biting  if  you  weren't  so  busy  actu- 
ally playing  the  game.  Which  is  to 
say,  WORLD  CUP  98  is  about  as  real 
as  it  gets  without  lacing  up  the 
cleats  and  strapping  on  shin 

guards.  Plus,  as  an  added 
bonus,  after  you  win  the 
Cup,  you  can  then  play  a 
classic  World  Cup  final 
from  years  past  (in  black 
and  white,  no  less). 

If  you  already  own  FIFA 
98,  then  WORLD  CUP  98 
makes  a fine  addition  to 
your  sports  game  library. 
But  if  you  missed  FIFA  98, 
then  WORLD  CUP  98  is  a 
must-have. 


BRING  IT  You  can  select  your  van- 
tage point  from  WORLD  GUP's  wide 
variety  of  camera  options. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1 998 


A 


k'.computergaming,( 


REVIEW  • TRIPLE  PLAY  99 


Corked  Bat 

TRIPLE  PLAY  99  Swings  a Big  Bat  but  Doesn't  Field  a Complete  Team 


by  Robert  Coffey 

These  days,  most  sports 
games  fall  into  one  of 
two  very  different  cate- 
gories: graphically  sharp, 
action-oriented  thumb 
candy  or  ugly-but- 
tactically-deep  simulation. 
In  the  madonna/whore 
context  of  PC  sports,  TRIPLE  PLAY 
99  performs  like  a Miss  America 
champ:  it  looks  and  moves  great, 
but  don't  expect  much  insight. 

Graphically,  nothing  compares 
to  TRIPLE  PLAY  99.  Polygonal  play- 
ers move  with  a brutish  grace  not 
found  in  any  other  baseball  game. 
Every  swing  of  the  bat  is  Ruthian; 
every  throw  a rocket;  every  catch  a 
diving,  dirt-eating  highlight,  it 
looks  sharp,  but  more  staid  fans  of 
America's  pastime  may  find  it  car- 
toonish — second  basemen  don't 
just  toss  the  ball  back  to  the  pitch- 
er, they  rear  back  and  hurl \tYou 
can  practically  hear  the  rotator 
cuffs  shredding. 


APPEAL:  Fans 
who  favor  action 
over  realism. 

PROS:  Great  3D 
graphics;  short 
learning  curve;  lots 
of  on-field  action. 

CONS:  Doesn't 
even  try  to  simulate  real  baseball;  unre- 
alistic stats;  poor  baserunning  Al. 
DIFFICULTY:  Easy. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  90; 
Windows  95;  16MB  RAM;  20MB  free 
hard-drive  space;  4x  CD-ROM  drive; 
DirectSound-compatible  sound  card; 
gamepad  supported. 

3D  SUPPORT:  3Dfx. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem, 
LAN,  serial  cable,  or  Internet  (2  players); 

1 CD  per  player. 

Price:  S49.95 
Publisher:  EA  Sports 
San  Mateo,  CA 
(650)  572-2897 


TRIPLE  PLAY  99  is  fully  licensed, 
with  evety  stadium  beautifully  re- 
created and  every  major  leaguer 
taking  his  at-bats.  While  players' 
faces  aren't  eerily  stretched  across 
their  boxy  heads,  they  do  sport 
appropriate  facial  hair.  Has  anyone 
else  noticed  an  apparent  mandate 
that  50  percent  of  players  must 
sprout  goatees?  Catcalls,  vendor 
cries,  and  cheers  create  good  ball- 
park ambience,  but  the  sound  suf- 
fers some  from  that  echoey  quality 
you  hear  at  Montreal's  Olympic 
Stadium,  Even  outdoor  parks 
sound  enclosed.  The  two-man 
announcing  is  okay,  provided  you 
can  stomach  both  Buck  Martinez 
and  a liner  off  the  center  field  wail 
being  called  a "seeing-eye  single," 


Going  Deep — Not! 

Unfortunately,  all  this  glitz 
comes  at  the  expense  of  truly  re- 
creating major  league  baseball.  The 
focus  in  TRIPLE  PLAY  99  isn't  just  on 
hitting  the  ball,  it's  on  punching 
holes  in  the  Mir  space  station  (as  if 
it  didn't  have  enough  trouble).  See 
the  ball,  launch  the  ball.  Computer 
strikeouts  are  practically  nonexis- 
tent as  the  CPU  swings  at  virtually 
every  pitch.  Management  options 
for  double  steals,  hit  and  runs,  and 
various  bunts  come  off  as  simple 
window  dressing  since  you  don't 
need  to  employ  any  baseball 
smarts  in  order  to  win.  The  com- 
puter sure  doesn't. 

Batting  gets  easy  very  quickly, 
but  don't  turn  up  the  difficulty  level 
unless  you're  also 
adept  at  tracking 
down  fly  balls — TP99's 
four  difficulty  settings 
don't  let  you  adjust 
individual  game  fea- 
tures. Then  again,  sur- 
rendering to  the 
game's  Al  could  be  a 
risky  move  considering 
its  significant  short- 
comings, particularly  in 
baserunning.  Control- 
ling base  runners  is  iffy 
at  best — rallies  are 


often  short-circuited  by  two  runners 
deciding  to  hang  out  together  at 
second.  While  the  computer  won't 
victimize  itself  with  these  little  tea 
parties,  it  does  inflict  other  bone- 
headed baserunning  plays  on  itself. 

TRIPLE  PLAY  99  has  upped  the 
statistical  ante  with  tons  of  num- 
bers and  charts,  but  the  game  is 
still  "Stats  Lite"  at  best.  In  a 
simmed  season  Barry  Bonds  hit  a 
reasonable  43  homers  but  stole  an 
unlikely  79  bases,  getting  caught 
just  four  times.  The  umps  should 
check  those  cleats  for  jump  jets. 
Face  it,  any  game  in  which  Greg 
Vaughn's  abysmal  1 997  season 
serves  as  the  basis  for  a .289, 33 


homer  re-creation  isn't  paying 
attention. 

TRIPLE  PLAY  99's  draft  model  is 
befuddling.  Gamers  setting  up  an 
eight-team  league  with  their  bud- 
dies will  have  to  watch  impotently 
as  the  computer  insists  on  drafting 
for  the  other  20  teams.  So  long, 
Dream  Team,  hello  Scott  Spiezio. 
That  said,  the  game's  career  mode 
and  trade  point  cap  are  nice  addi- 
tions. TRIPLE  PLAY  99  tries  to  catch 
the  wave  by  offering  internet  play, 
but  the  game's  demanding  graph- 
ics limit  it  to  manage-only  mode. 

TRIPLE  PLAY  99  is  a pretty  good 
game  if  your  only  interest  is  in 
racking  up  double-digit  scores  in 
epic  slugfests.  If  you  want  some- 
thing like  real  baseball,  keep 
looking.  K'lVi 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  199B 


v.computergaming.c 


TMs  (ioR  fiame's  for  y«d 


NotRespASsme 


Coming  in  August  to  a PC  near  you! 


Award-winning,  arcade  style  gamepkiy: 
easy  to  learn,  fun  to  play,  challenging  to 
master 

TrackSwing"'  technology  lets  you 
swing  naturally  using  the  mouse 

Golden  Tee  NeP''  - Seamless  Internet 
play  through  our  free  matchmaking 
service 

Go 


Revolutionary  Shadow  Gamc^"  allows 
you  to  save,  swap,  and  compete  against 
other  players’  favorite  saved  games 

Entertaining  and  informative  tips  by 
PGA®pro  golfer  Peter  Jacobsen 

Changing  pin  and  tee  placements, 
variable  green  contour  and  w'ind 
velocity  add  iniinile  replay  value  to 
every  hole 

o#114  @ www.computergaming.com/ir 


Picture-ln-Piciure  window  lets  you 
watch  the  action  unfold  from  a variety 
of  camera  angles 

Detailed  statistics  and  course 
summaries 

Works  great  with  laptops 

Multiplayer  competition  via  Internet, 
LAN,  modem  or  direct  link 


REVIEW  • HIGH  HEAT 


Bush  League 

It's  Back  to  the  Minors  for  HIGH  HEAT, 
a New  Baseball  Franchise  That  Just  Can't  Compete 


by  Robert  Coffey 

I'll  confess:  For  once  ! 

bought  the  hype.  Desperate 
as  I was  for  a baseball 
game  that  combined  good 
arcade  action  with  believ- 
able stats  and  strategy, 
HIGH  heat's  ads  gave  me 
high  hopes.  You  know,  the 
very  serious  ads  featuring  the 
very  serious  developers.  Team 
.366,  a group  that  took  its  name 
from  baseball's  highest  all-time 
batting  average.  Well,  you  can 
charge  Team  .366  with  its  first 
error:  The  highest  lifetime  average 
wasTy  Cobb's  .367. 

Riding  the  Pine 

Lacking  the  features  and 
options  gamers  have  come  to 
expect  in  their  computer  baseball 
games,  HIGH  HEAT  isn't  going  to 
cut  into  the  playing  time  of  the 
big  boys. 


APPEAL:  Gamers 
whose  cities  have 
banned  all  other 
baseball  games. 

PROS:  Good  field- 
ing Al;  solid  statisti- 
cal engine;  realistic 
gameplay. 

CONS:  No  draft;  no  remote  or  LAN 
play;  limited  stats;  misses  the  mark  on 
rudimentary  baseball  aspects;  too  many 
other  gaffes  to  list 
DIFFICULTY:  Easy, 
REQUIREMENTS:  Windows  95, 
Pentium  133, 32MB  RAM,  100MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM  drive,  Direct 
Draw-compatible  video  card.  Direct 
Sound-compatible  sound  card. 

3D  SUPPORT:  3Dfx  and  Direct  3D. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Hotseat 
(2  players);  1 CO  per  player. 

Price:  539.95 
Publislier;  3DO 


Redwood,  CA  94063 
(650)  261-3454 


THArSHIGH  HEAT  Hit  a 
homer  and  you'll  be  treated 
to  this  bairs*eye<view 
replay  of  your  round-tripper. 


CAN  OF  CORN  While  fielding  pop-ups  and 
foul  balls  isn't  the  most  exciting  thing  in 
tile  world,  their  realistic  frequency  in  HIGH 
HEAT  makes  for  more  believable  play  than 
that  of  other  games. 


Where  on  the  list  of  shortcom- 
ings to  start?  The  weird  swinging 
animations  that  look  more  like 
Tiger  Woods  than  Ken  Caminiti? 
The  lack  of  a career  mode?  The 
inability  to  create  or  edit  players,  or 
to  rename  teams?  No,  let's  focus 
on  the  things  that  keep  HIGH  HEAT 
from  living  up  to  its  promises. 

There's  no  draft,  so  forget  about 
a dream  league  with  your  pals. 

How  any  baseball  game  can  hit 
shelves  without  a simple  draft  fea- 
ture boggles  the  mind.  Should  you 
start  a league  with  your  friends 
anyway,  be  advised  you'll  be  see- 
ing a lot  of  them  since  HIGH  HEAT 
doesn't  support  modem,  Internet, 
serial,  or  LAN  play.  The  minds  bog- 
gles yet  again. 

More  shortsightedness:  The  visit- 
ing team  has  a decided  disadvan- 
tage, since  there's  no  way  to  find 
out  which  pitcher  you'll  face  when 
making  your  lineup — a real  drag  if 
you're  platooning  players.  There's 
no  bullpen;  you  just  insert  new 
pitchers  without  warming  them  up. 
If  you're  playing  the  computer, 
you'll  be  quick-pitched  to  death. 
Bad  enough  you  can't  prepare  to 


sponsive,  resulting  in  shortstops 
inexplicably  running  sprints  into 
centerfield  after  gloving  a ground 
ball.  To  its  credit,  3DO  has  released 
a patch  for  vastly  improved  fielding 
and  running  controls.  Graphically, 
HIGH  heat's  2D  players  can't  com- 
pare to  the  polygonal  brutes  of 
TRIPLE  PLAY  99.  Plus,  because  HIGH 
HEAT  lacks  a MLB  license,  teams 
are  unnamed  and  wear  drab, 
generic  uniforms. 

HIGH  HEAT  is  a disappointment, 
plain  and  simple.  Here's  an  open 
invitation:  Somewhere  in  CGW's 
offices  lies  a decade-old  Amiga 
version  of  EARL  WEAVER  BASE- 
BALL If  Team  ,366  wants  to  drop 
by  sometime,  I'll  show  them  how 
a great  baseball  game  plays. 
Maybe  then  we'll  see  a game  for 
the  real  fan. 


hit,  but  it's  criminal  to  be  denied 
the  opportunity  to  use  a pinch  hit- 
ter because  you  can't  hit  Esc  faster 
than  the  CPU  can  deliver  a curve. 


Iffy  Prospect 

All  this  is  frustrating,  since  the 
game  shows  promise  in  other 
areas.  The  fielding  Al  is  the  best 
I've  seen  in  a long  time,  Gameplay 
is  realistic,  and  the  stats  engine  is 
reliable,  producing  believable  num- 
bers while  still  allowing  players  the 
occasional  career  year.  Still,  the 
stats  track  only  a 
handful  of  cate- 
gories. With  only 
players’  total  batting 
averages  recorded 
(both  simmed  and 
historically)  you 
can't  make  pinch- 
hitting  decisions 
based  on  how  well 
players  hit  lefties. 

Forget  about  split 
averages  for  switch 
hitters. 

Out  of  the  box, 
the  game  controls 
were  slow  and  unre- 


A 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


v.computergaming.c 


winner. 


*T  / 

W llUlBrt  Killer  Game  Award,  The  Cheater’s  Guild  owt  of 

“Cyberstorm  was  a great  game  and  Cyberstorm  2:  Corporate  5 
Wars  takes  the  premise  to  a higher  level.  Real-time  or  turn- 
based  play  and  dynamic  mission  generators  for  infinite 
replay  value  - it  just  doesn't  get  any  better  than  this. 


Winner:  Editor’s  Choice,  All  About  Games 

Dynamix  has  got  a real  winner  on  their  hands.  Cyberstorm  2 is 
“Tt  qJ  positively  awesotne!  With  over  170  weapons  (and  more  than  300 
weapons  plus  devices),  the  ability  to  engineer  your  own  Bioderm, 
X”'*  the  non-fixed  research  tree,  and  all  the  new  chassis  to  play 
around  with,  and  the  dynamic  campaign  engine,  plus  multi- 
player capability.  Cyberstorm  2 has  nearly  infinite  replayability.^^ 


iVIOr©,  jVIllCll  jVIOr6...  GamePen 

**  Break  out  the  Bioderms  and  churn  out  the  chassis,  the  war  has 
begun  anew  in  Dynamix's  upcoming  strategy  game.  Cyberstorm 
2:  Corporate  Wars.  This  sequel  to  Missionforce:  Cyberstorm  still 
allows  players  to  create  pilots,  configure  their  HERCs  and  engage 
in  turn-based  conflicts,  but  now  there's  more.  Much  more.77 


Up  the  Wazoo  PC  Games 


Here's  where  Cyberstorm  2 gets  interesting.  While  you  don't  have  to 
fiddle  with  it,  this  game  has  customization  up  the  wazoo.  In  the  factory 
where  you  build  your  HERCs,  you  can  tweak  the  specs  to  your  heart's 
content!  Normally,  the  computer  A!  would  handle  ail  this  for  you,  but  If 
you  like  to  tinker  with  every  little  nuance,  you  can't  get  more  Into  the 


Customize  j' 
yoiu"  vehicles.  \ 


Desi^  and  grow’ 
your  Bioderms. 


Customize  your  pilots 
to  match  your  favorite 
battle  tactics. 


World  Opponent 
Network 


The  critics  agree.  Cyberstorm  2:  Corporate  Wars  is  the  ultimate  game  of  mass 
destruction  and  total  control  - for  gamers  who  love  deeply-layered  strategic  warfare. 

The  critically-acclaimed  sequel  to  Missionforce:  Cyberstorm,  Cyberstorm  2 is  a double- 
barreled  combination  of  intense  tactical  action  and  more  opportunities  for 
customization  than  any  other  game  of  its  kind.  And  it's  the  only  game 
around  that  gives  you  a choice  between  turn-based  and  real  time  play. 

You  can't  lose  with  Cyberstorm  2.  But  don't  take  our  word  for  it. 

As  Marcus  Sears  of  All  About  Games  put  it:  "I  strongly  recommend 
Cyberstorm  2 for  every  strategy  gamer.  It's  got  that 
'Just  one  more  mission'  quality  that  keeps  you 
playing  until  the  wee  hours  of  the  morning." 


® andTM  designate  trademarks  of,  or  licensed  to  Sierra  On-Line,  inc. 

Go  to  #147  @ www.computergBmlng.com/lnfollnk 


REVIEW  • HARDBALL  6 


Strike  Six 

After  a Season  Off,  the  HARDBALL  Franchise  Still  Needs  Work 


byTasos  Kaiafas 

When  Accolade 

decided  to  delay 
HARDBALL  6 a 
year  to  develop  a 
new  3D  engine, 
how  could  long- 
time HARDBALL 
fans  not  have 
high  expectations  for  its  1998 
release?  After  all,  taking  an  extra 
year  to  improve  a new  edition  of 
an  already  great  game  is,  unfortu- 
nately, too  often  unheard  of  in 
game  development.  It  was  only 
natural  to  expect  that  HARDBALL 
6 would  be  stellar. 

The  sim  engine  itself  can  still 
hold  its  own— game  results  are 
realistic,  and  most  players  per- 
form as  well  as  expected  (albeit 
with  a few  career  seasons  from 
some  mediocre  players).  The  stats 
engine  still  provides  most  of  the 


pertinent  information  a would-be 
manager  needs,  presented  nicely 
in  a sortable  database  (from  the 
League  Leaders  screen)  or  on  the 
usual  HARDBALL  baseball- 
card-type  window.  It  would  be 
better  if  some  things  could  be 
accessed  without  having  to  exit 
the  field,  though  (an  on-deck  list 
or  bullpen  control,  for  example). 

One  Dimension 
Too  Many 

So  just  how  good  is  the  new 
3D  engine,  given  its  full  year  of 
development  time?  So  good  that 
it's  hard  to  tell  If  it's  even  using 
your  3D  card.  Textures  are  cer- 
tainly smoother  and  the  frame- 
rate  is  better  (most  of  the  time), 
but  there  are  no  lighting  effects, 
distance  hazing,  or  all  of  those 
other  visual  treats  you'd  expect — 
and  that  can  come  only  from  a 
3D  chip. 

Worse  yet  is  the  effect  of  the 
new  graphics  engine  on  game- 
play:  The  frame-rate  starts  to  slow 
down  as  you  add  baserunners, 
which  has  an  effect  on  batting 
(frame-rate  drops  with  the 
pitch) — making  it  harder  to  hit 
the  ball.  It  gets  even  worse  if  the 
announcer  is  talking  at  the  same 
time.  In  fact,  sometimes  the  audio 


gets  so  far  behind  the  graphics 
that  you  hear  the  crack  of  the  bat 
only  after  the  ball  is  already  in  the 
outfield,  or  sometimes  the 
announcer  doesn't  make  the  call 
until  after  the  play  is  over. 

Even  when  the  bases  are 
empty,  batting  can  be 
frustrating.  There's  a 
slight  delay  in  the 
swing  response,  and  if 
you  are  a fraction  of  a 
second  late  (say,  if  you 
try  to  take  a pitch  the 
opposite  way)  the  bat- 
ter won't  swing  at  all. 

Compare  this  to  other 
more  arcade-type 
games  like  TRIPLE  PLAY, 
and  it's  clear  HARDBALL 
has  a lot  of  catching  up 
to  do — even  though 
HARDBALL  6's  pitching/ 
batting  model  has  more 
versatility,  and  is  better 
overall. 

And  after  all  these 
years,  HARDBALL  is  still 
plagued  by  many  of  the 
same  problems  as 
before;  inconsistent 
infleaion  changes  by  the 
announcer  and  miscalled 
plays  (a  "crushed"  ball 
sometimes  looks  like  a 


blooper),  bad  baserunning  Al 
(runners  will  sometimes  tag  up 
when  there  are  two  outs),  and  no 
way  to  simulate  games  a month 
at  a time,  only  by  the  week  or  by 
the  season. 

Hit  the  Showers 

Heightened  expectations? 
Maybe.  All  sports  gamers  are 
guilty  of  that  to  a certain  extent 
from  sequel  to  sequel.  No  doubt, 
HARDBALL  6 is  Still  a good  base- 
ball game  with  a lot  of  thoughtful 
features  and  details,  and  you  can 
tell  that  it  was  made  by  people 
who  understand  the  sport  very 
well.  But  the  new  3D  engine  is  a 
big  disappointment.  And  worse, 
even  with  that  extra  development 
time,  you  still  get  the  feeling  that 
the  game  was  rushed  out  the 
door.  Fine-tuning  is  what  makes  a 
game  great,  and  Hardball  6 isn't 
that  great. 


Ratedl 


★ ★ A ★ ★ 


CONS;  Mediocre  3D  engine;  inconsis- 
tent play-by-play  announcing;  unrespon- 
sive batting  model;  fixes  that  still  needed 
fixing, 

DIFFICULTY:  Intermediate, 
MINIMUM  SYSTEM 
REQUIREMENTS:  PI  00  (PI  20  for  3D 
acceleration),  Windows  95, 16MB  RAM, 
20MB  hard-drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM,  PCI 
or  AGP  graphics  card,  Windows  95-com- 
patible  16-bit  sound  card. 

3D  SUPPORT:  DirectBD-compatible 
boards. 

MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem, 
serial  connection  (2  players);  LAN  (up  to 
4 players);  1 CD  per  player. 

Price  S54,95 
Publisher:  Accolade 
San  Jose,  CA 
(•108)  985-1700 


3D  STADIUMS  You  can  choose  to  view 
the  action  from  four  different  camera 
angles— enough  for  some,  maybe. 


STATS  A-PLENTY  Every  player  has 
plenty  of  numbers  to  crunch,  and 
you  can  even  alter  any  ability  rating. 


Si  COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD»AUCUST  1998 


r.computergaming.i 


you’^-e  in  the  10th  frame^ 

there’s  a bucket  of  sweat 

dripping  off  your  brow 

f and  this  shot  is  worth  ^ 

way  too  much  money 


• State-of-the-art  physics  engine 
for  unbelievably  real  pin  action 


• Cosmic  Bowling 


• Multi-player  up  to  32  players 


WINDOWS' 

35' 


• 13  professional  Brunswick  Bowlers 

• Brand  new  Brunswick  Skins  Game 
format 

• Intelligent  bowler  and  crowd  reactions 


IS  IT 


www.thq.com 

www.brunswickbowlmg.com 


Brunswick  is  a ragislered  Itadematkol  Brunswick  Bowling  and  Billiards  Corporalion.  Brunswick  Circuit  Pro  Bowling  is  a trademark  olTHQ  Inc.  © 1998  THQ  Inc.  Playslatiun  and  lha  Playslalion  logos  are  registered  trademarks  ol  Sony  Computer  Entertalnmeirt  Inc. 

Go  to  #152  @ www.coinputergamlng.com/lnfollnk 


EASIER  ON  YOUR  HOME 
I THAN  THE 


www.foxsportsgames.com 


'?'l99SGienillnliileianivcll(l.yceFiseilliniion[ldcvebpdbyGiemlinliilciO(livcU(I.AIlR>elilsRc>med.Fi)xSpciilslnlcia(tive'"!>i:''1998Iiieiilictli(mtiiiyr»FSniCoipoi(iliiin  liic.AUIIighuRowrvd.  FaxSpoititeiniinc . Fot  and  Fas  Alllludo  end  Ihrii  asiuciatod  lanot  ote  Ihc  piapady 
oi  Twsntictli  Ccntuiy  Fox  Him  Coipototion.  Windmvs  is  o lopislcicd  liodenioik  ol  Uiiiosolt  (oipdotion.  F1a)SlalhOn  and  ifie  Flov^taliad  logot  oic  legiilcicd  liodaiiiorVs  of  Sany  Compute  Inttitaiiiiiiaiil  Inc.  Fho  lolirtgs  icon  is  n liodcinoik  oi  ihe  Intctodive  DigiJ  kltison!  Assniodon 

Go  to  #113  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


THE  GOLF  PRO  FEATURING  GARY  PLAYER  • REVIEW 


Chip  Shot 

Empire  Takes  a Big  Swing,  but  Comes  Up  a Bit  Short 


by  Gordon  Goble 

With  apologies  to 
my  high  school 
creative  writing 
teacher  (who  felt 
cliches  were  the 
work  of  Satan), 
Empire  Inter- 
active's first 

sojourn  into  computer  golf  is  noth- 
ing less  than  a diamond  in  the 
rough.  Rewarding  skilled,  thought- 
ful play  more  than  any  other  PC 
golf  game  to  date,  THE  GOLF  PRO 
FEATURING  GARY  PLAYER  exhibits 
brilliant  programming,  but  it's  lack- 
ing in  a few  key  areas  that  keep  it 
just  short  of  the  genre's  elite  titles. 

Mouse  Swingin' 

THE  GOLF  PRO  is  the  latest  PC 
golf  game  that  lets  a gamer  dupli- 
cate the  entire  swing  with  the 
mouse  (known  here  as  a "mouse 
drive"),  and  it  marks  what's  really 


APPEAL: 

Computer  golfers 
thirsting  for  more 
complex,  challeng- 
ing, and  realistic 
play.  Newcomers 
who  crave  a 
decent  tutorial. 

PROS:  Most 
authentic  mouse  swing  available;  good 
ball  movement;  nice  graphics;  clean 
Internee  design;  solid  instruction. 
CONS;  Prerendered  camera  positions 
often  less  than  ideal;  "follow-up"  views 
sometimes  not  available;  no  Al  competi- 
tion or  out-of-the-box  multiplayer  mode 
DIFFICULTY:  Hard. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  90, 
Windows  95, 16MB  RAM,  1MB  video 
card,  BOMB  hard-drive  space,  2x  CD- 
ROM  drive,  SoundBlaster-compatible 
sound  card,  mouse. 

3D  SUPPORT:  None. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  None 

Price;  S«.95 

Publisher;  Empire  Interactive 
San  Francisco.  CA 
(800)  216-9706 


good  about  this  game.  Simply  put, 
THE  GOLF  PRO  does  mouse  driving 
better,  and  with  more  innovation 
and  complexity,  than  the  competi- 
tion. (So  much  so,  in  Empire's  opin- 
ion, that  it  did  not  include  the  tra- 
ditional swing  meter.) 

Here's  how  complex  the  mouse 
drive  is.  Releasing  the  left  mouse 
button  before  contact  adds  height 
to  the  flight  path;  releasing  it  late 
(or  not  at  all)  adds  distance. 
Angling  the  typical  perpendicular 
mouse  orientation  during  the 
swing  adds  intentional  hook  or 
slice  to  your  drive,  just  as  opening 
or  closing  your  grip  would  do  with 
a real  golf  club.  Of  course,  the 
same  thing  can  be  accomplished 
accidentally  by  veering  from  the 
straight  and  narrow  as  you  swing, 
just  as  you  might  mishit  a real  ball. 

Then,  there's  tempo.  The  game 
forces  you  to  maintain  a steady 
uninterrupted  rhythm  from  begin- 
ning to  end  of  each  swing  or  suffer 
the  consequences — again,  it's  just 
like  the  real  game.  You'll  soon  find 
that  a solid,  flowing  approach  is 
critical,  and  the  results  are  realistic. 

A Course  Is  a Course 

THE  GOLF  PRO  includes  only  two 
courses,  England's  St.  Mellion  and 
South  Carolina’s  cherished  Hilton 
Head,  though  three  more  are 
promised  by  year's  end.  The  cours- 
es are  both  pretty  and  functional, 
conveying  a convincing  sense  of 
perspective  and  elevation.  That  the 
ball  accurately  reacts  to  all  the 
inherent  dips,  rises,  and  environ- 
mental conditions  is  testament  to 
some  very  careful  programming. 
Let's  just  say  this  is  one  game  that 
forces  the  player  to  use  all  his  skill 
and  experience  all  the  time. 

In  a unique  visual  twist.  Empire 
has  opted  for  enhanced  preren- 
dered digitized  graphics  and  static 
camera  positions,  an  approach  that 
results  in  very  fast  scene  changes. 
But  the  camera  angles  often  aren't 


spective  for  all  possible  ball  posi- 
tions, which  makes  it  tough  to  read 
fairway  and  green  grading.  Further, 
there  are  no  secondary  cameras  for 


MOUSE  WORKS  This  pretty 
par  four  requires  total  accu- 
racy right  from  the  tee  shot 
Since  the  game  lacks  a tra- 
ditional swing  meter,  you'll 
need  to  master  your  mouse- 
driving to  succeed. 


many  long  or  blind  drives,  leaving 
you  ignorant  of  the  ball's  final  rest- 
ing spot  or  the  obstacle  you  may 
have  hit  until  it's  time  to  shnnt 
again.  Aerial  views  of  each  hole 
are  offered,  however,  along  with 
detailed  narrated  previews. 

The  three  available  motion-cap- 
tured golfers,  meanwhile — inrlud- 
ing  namesake  Gary  Player--arp  a 
tad  pixelated  but  move  in  realtime 
to  your  actions  and  can  perform  a 
wide  variety  of  swings  and  stances 
Sadly,  computer  competition  is  pre- 
recorded and  therefore  without 
artificial  intelligence,  and  multi- 
human golfing  wasn't  available  in 
time  for  this  review.  (Empire  says  a 
patch  should  be  ready  by  summer.) 

Overall  ambiance  is  classic  all 
the  way,  including  relaxing  new- 
age  music  selections  at  the  menu 
screen  and  an  upscale,  ritzy  look  to 
all  off-course  interfaces.  New- 
comers will  appreciate  the  exten- 
sive tutorial  section  by  Gary  Player 
before  their  round  and  the  aston- 
ishingly intelligent  advice  and  com- 
mentary given  by  the  game's 
announcer/caddy  during  it. 

Empire  has  a diamond  here 
somewhere  with  THE  GOLF  PRO, 
but  it  may  take  some  chipping  out 
of  the  rough  to  find  it.  S3U 


wvvw.computergaminy.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199BJ 


WE  ABE  FAMILY 

Not  everyone  that  joins  you  looks  like 
you.  Super-mutants,  robo-dogs  and 
ghouls  may  Join  your  adventure,  or 
why  not  do  -it-yourself  by  implanting 
the  brain  of  someone  near-and-dear 
into  that  shiny  new  robot  body. 


KILL  SMARTER,  NOT  HARDER 

Improved  combat  AI  for  frieiids  and 
foes  alike.  Most  of 
the  people  In  your 
own  group  won’t  take 
that  burst  shot  with  the 
Flechette-gun,  but  a couple 
are  probably  Just  aching 
for  the  opportuiilty. 


SHARE  THE  WEALTH 

If  you  want  to,  you  ciin  upgrade 
any  traveling  companions  with 
snore  dangerous  weapons, 
tougher  armor,  or  even 
teach  them  new  skills  and 
abilities.  Of  course,  you’d 
better  make  sure  they’re  on 
your  side, 


BIGaER  fi*  BADDER  THAN  EVER 

Bigger,  smarter,  nastier  enemies  than 
you’ve  ever  fought  before.  We’ve  given 
you  a few  pals  that  are  Just  as  ugly. 

You  didn’t  think  you  were  the  only 
Bad-ass  in  town  did  you? 

SEX  & ROMANCE  AFTER  THE  BOMB 

Fall  in  love,  get  married,  and  then 
pimp  your  spouse  for  a little  extra 
chump-change.  Hey,  it’s  a dark  and 
dangerous  world. 


LEARNING  IS  FUN-DA-MENTAL 

Over  100  new  skills,  called  perks, 
available  to  learn  during  the  course 
of  your  travels.  Better  to  learn  the 

f Flaming  Dragon  Punch 
from  the  crazed  tribal 
shaman  or  how  to  squeeze 
the  trigger  on  your  splffy 
new  Gauss-rifle  faster 
than  the  next  guy? 
Decisions,  decisions.,. 


Arriving  Faii  ’98 

D.llEn^^r  B 

Ulcro30H'  H 
WinOov^gs  ■ 

i 

0 

BLflCIC 

REVIEW  • FRONT  PAGE  SPORTS:  SKI  RACING 


Slippery  Slope 

FPS:  SKI  RACING  Offers  Decent  Arcade  Thrills,  but  Controls  Are  Ice  Cold 


by  Loyd  Case 

The  opportunity  to  review 
FRONT  PAGE  SPORTS:  SKI 
RACING  seemed  like  a 
breath  of  cold  air  in  the 
heat  of  summer.  Sadly,  it 
turrted  out  to  be  about  as 
much  fun  as  a snowball 
stuffed  down  your  parka. 
First,  the  good  news.  The  back- 
ground graphics  are  quite  good, 
although  the  figure  of  the  skier  is 
pretty  polygon-riddled.  The  game 
supplies  necessary  information  in  a 
clear  manner.  Since  you  can't  see 
as  far  on  a computer  monitor  as 
you  could  while  actually  skiing, 

FPS:  SKI  RACING  gives  you  some 
clues,  in  the  form  of  arrows  cen- 
tered between  gates.  There's  also  a 
small  overhead  view  that  looks 
one  or  two  gates  ahead  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  screen. 

There  are  other  nice  touches.  The 
tutorials,  featuring  the  voice  of 
Olympic  gold  medalist  Picabo 

K«-I7jltafe<f  I 


APPEAL  Hard- 
core skiers  looking 
for  a diversion  when 
the  weather  is 
warm. 

PROS:  Picabo 
Street  videos;  good- 
looking  background 
graphics;  good  mountain  modeling. 
CONS:  More  arcade  than  simuladon; 
controls  are  terrible,  especially  in  slalom. 
DIFFICULTY  LEVEL  Easy. 

SYSTEM  REQUIREMENTS:  PgO. 
Windows  95, 1 6MB  RAM,  <1x  CD-ROM 
drive,  Windows-compatible  sound  card 
w/DAC,  SVGA  graphics,  75MB  hard-drive 
space.  Supports  Windows-compatible 
and  Microsoft  force-feedback  joysticks. 
3D  SUPPORT:  Rendition  and  3Dfx 
graphics  accelerator  cards. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Hotseat 
(2  players);  1 CO  per  two  players. 

Price:  $54.95 
Publisher;  Sierra  On-Line 
Bellevue,  WA 
(800)  757-7707 


Street,  are  fun.  The  controls  can  be 
customized,  and  the  setup  options 
for  colors,  sponsors,  boots,  and  skis 
are  detailed,  but  I would  have  pre- 
ferred a wider  selection  of  gear. 

The  Sierra  Cup  season  is  fun  to 
play,  though  the  selection  of 
mountains  is  relatively  sparse. 

Still,  Val  d’Isere  is  here,  as  well  as 
my  favorite  mountain,  Mount 
Bachelor  in  Oregon. 

Downhill  From  Here 

When  you  start  racing,  though, 
the  game's  problems  begin  to 
emerge.  Simply  put,  control 
response  is  terrible.  It's  not  so 
noticeable  in  the  downhill — the 
gates  are  far  apart.  Once  you  try  to 
slalom,  though,  it  gets  ugly.  I tried 
using  a gamepad,  Microsoft's 
force-feedback  stick  (supported  by 


^ACCESS 

SOFTWARE  INCORPORATED 

l-<ir  i»fi>rniaiion  on  this  fire  prodiiei,  visit  our  web.site  at  /'\/V/VZ--  - 

\vw\v.accesssoftware.com/.i8g  or  call  1 -800-800-4880.  And  add  .some  color  to  your  life! 


NOW,  IT'S  MILLER  TIME  This  is  called  a 
yardsale^-everything  must  go!  It's  as 
painful  as  It  looks. 


the  game),  and  rudder  pedals  (rec- 
ommended in  one  of  the  READ.ME 
files).  No  matter  what  I tried, 
getting  through  the  tightly  packed 
slalom  gates  and  even  the  GS 
gates  proved  to  be  nearly  impossi- 
ble. Stick  with  the  downhill  or 
Super  G;  you'll  be  much  happier. 

The  setup  screen  is  almost  pure 


illusion.  You  can  pick  your 
skis,  but  they  won't  make 
much  difference  on  the 
slopes.  TTiere  are  no  dis- 
cernible differences 
between  slalom  and 
cruising  skis. 

That's  the  game's 
problem:  It  doesn't  feel 
like  a skiing  sim  as  much 
as  a flight  sim.  Weather 
conditions  have  little 
effect,  other  than  on 
visibility.  You  can't  tune  your  skis — 
set  the  bindings  differently,  take  a 
risk  with  waxing,  and  so  on, 

Maybe  if  Papyrus  had  developed 
the  game  instead  of  Dynamix  it 
would  have  been  more  realistic.  As 
it  is,  it's  a moderately  fun  arcade 
racing  game.  Just  don't  try  the 
slalom.  LK'Wi 


linksLS 

ScUtiori/ 


Actual  screen  captures  using  Links  LS  1998 


Real  Life 
Omparwn 

Take  a 20-minute  Links'  break  and 
challenge  Arnold  Palmer  to  18  holes  oii 
Maui’s  Kapalua  Bay  Course. 


New  waving  Hags,  airplanes  and 
other  animations 
• New  water  reflections 
• Six  golfers  including 
Arnold  Palmer 
• Faster  screen  redraws 
• Quick-start  internet  play 
• Over  20  other  new 
features 


T C Kiipahin 


“LinksLS 

^ IQQS  Stliliim 


Go  to  #079  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


REVIEW  • SOLDIERS  AT  WAR 


Letting  the  Boys  Down 

This  WWII  Game  Fails  to  Identify  Its  Target,  or  Its  Interface 


by  Tim  Carter 

The  first  U.5.  Army  units 
to  fight  against  the 
Germans  during  World 
War  li  met  with  a sur- 
prising defeat.  Not  that 
the  average  doughboy 
was  lacking.  On  the 
contrary,  it  was  the 
sometimes  intangible  supporting 
elements  of  an  armed  force — 
equipment,  organization,  and 
leadership — that  were  clearly  in 
need  of  work.  The  guys  in  the 
field,  unfortunately,  were  left  to 
overcome  these  problems  through 
courage  and  hard  work.  This 
makes  for  a good  movie,  but  it  was 
an  unpleasant  experience  for  the 
people  who  actually  had  to  slog  it 
out  on  the  battlefield. 

SOLDIERS  AT  WAR,  from  SSI, 
transports  gamers  to  those  gritty 
days  of  World  War  li  infantry  com- 
bat in  Europe.  Unfortunately,  it  may 


K'C'iVMRated 


★ ★ ,4r  ^ A- 


APPEAL:  WWII 
addicts  with  a high 
tolerance  for 
annoyances. 
PROS:  Fun  at 
times;  lots  of 
weapons:  one  of 
few  games  on  this 
topic  at  diis  scale. 


CONS:  Clunky  interface;  poorly  imple- 
mented player  feedback:  no  British, 
German,  or  Russian  campaigns. 


DIFFICULTY:  Intermediate. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  120, 
Windows  95, 1 6MB  RAM,  2MB  SVGA 
graphics,  4x  CD-ROM  drive,  DirectX- 
compatible  sound  card. 


3D  SUPPORT:  None, 


MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  LAN, 
Internet  or  modem  (2-4  players):  1 CD 
per  player. 

Price:  $39.95 
Designer:  Random  Games 
Publisher:  SSI 
Novato,  CA 
(800)601-7529 


characteristics  are  referred  to 
numerically,  and  because  none  of 
them  are  directly  displayed  or 
even  referenced  during  gameplay, 
it's  difficult  to  develop  any  under- 
standing or  allegiance  to  your 
troops  during  battle. 

I also  have  to  question  some  of 
the  design  decisions.  While  there 
are  many  vehicles  on  the  scenario 
maps,  most  of  them  don't  do  any- 
thing. You  can  take  over  and  use 
immobilized  tanks,  but  you  can't 
drive  them;  1 never  encountered  any 
that  moved  on  their  own.  If  the 
designers  couldn't  incorporate  func- 
tioning vehicles  into  the  game,  why 
bother  with  them  at  all?  As  it  is,  the 
current  situation  only  highlights  the 
lack  of  realistic  armor,  or  even  jeeps. 

None  of  these  flaws  makes 
SOLDIERS  AT  WAR  unplayable— 
just  annoying.  But  since  it  is  the 
only  game  on  the  market  that 
gives  you  individual  control  of 
infantrymen  in  WWII,  many 
gamers  may  wish  to  overlook 
these  shortcomings.  The  rest  of 
us,  however,  can  only  hope  that 
the  trials  of  battle  and  complaints 
from  the  field  will  induce  the 
powers  that  be  to  deploy  a better 
product  next  time, 


for  lines-of-sight  and  potential  cover 
{which,  as  one  might  expect  is 
pretty  important  to  keeping  your 
troops  alive).  But  what  you  cannot 
see  at  the  50  percent  zoom  level  is 
the  ''chance-to-hit”  number  that 
appears  when  you  aim  at  an  enemy 
soldier.  As  this  number  is  frequently 
zero,  and  as  ammunition  is  quite 
limited  (a  feature  I quite  like,  by  the 
way),  I had  to  switch  constantly 
between  map  levels.  Also,  a glitch  in 
the  zoom  feature  frequently  shifts 
your  view  to  another  area  of  the 
map  when  you  change  levels,  mak- 
ing for  a very  frustrating  experience 
if  you  are  consider- 
ing multiple  targets 
or  are  trying  to  sort 
out  which  of  your 
soldiers  should 
shoot  at  whom. 


also  have  them,  like  their  historical 
counterparts,  wondering  just  who 
organized  this  mess. 

SOLDIERS  puts  you  in  charge  of  a 
squad  or  two  of  infantry,  a la  X- 
COM  or  JAGGED  ALLIANCE.  You're 
limited  to  playing  as  the  U.S.  in  the 
1 5-scenario  campaign,  but  in  the 
single  scenarios  you  can  also  be 
the  Germans,  the  Italians,  or  the 
French  Resistance. 


Sergeant 

Who? 

On  a more 
cosmetic  level, 
SOLDIERS  rates 
each  member  of 
your  squad  for  a 
variety  of  abilities 
and  characteristics. 
Yet,  because  all 


"I  Can't  Do  That,  Sir!" 

SOLDIERS  is  turn-based,  mostly 
bug-free,  and  does  a reasonable 
job  of  replicating  WWI!  infantry 
combat.  I doubt  it  will  win  any 
prizes  for  realism,  but  it  does  offer 
a complete  range  of  infantry 
weapons  and  a relatively  diverse 
set  of  scenarios. 

Sadly.  SOLDIERS'  potential  is 
greatly  marred  by  an  extremely 
clunky  interface.  At  virtually  every 
stage  of  the  action,  gamers  must 
use  more  mouse  clicks  than  should 
be  necessary  (by  my  calculation, 
throwing  a grenade  requires  six  dif- 
ferent commands). 

Moreover,  the  maps  and  other 
information  are  very  poorly  thought 
out.  For  instance,  keeping  the  map 
scaled  to  50  percent  allowed  me  to 
see  both  my  active  soldier  and  any 
nearby  targets,  and  gave  me  a sense 


SEMIAUTOMATIC?  Sgt  Tyson  has  pretty 
nice  stats,  but  the  awkward  manner  in 
which  feedback  is  communicated  might 
prevent  you  from  ever  finding  this  out 


A 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


^.computergaming.com 


TOTAL  ANNIHILATION:  THE  CORE  CONTINGENCY  • REVIEW 


THOSE  PESKY  MINES  Mine- 
laying becomes  a big  part  of 
the  missions  on  planet 
Temblor.  Use  your  VTOL 
planes  to  blast  the  ground 
free  of  mines  in  front  of 
your  armored  columns. 


An  Unexpected  Encore 

Last  Year's  Top  Real-time  Strategy  Game  Returns 
With  New  Missions,  Gameplay,  and  Units 


had  a plan  (one  might  call  it  a 
"contingency")  in  case  of  an  Arm 
victory:  A lone  Core  commander 
was  stashed  away  in  a far-off  sys- 
tem. Now  that  it  has  been  activat- 
ed, its  goai  is  to  convert  alien  tech- 
noiogy  hidden  in  the  system  into 
nothing  short  of  a galaxy-sucking 
superweapon.  Your  job  as  the  Arm 
or  Core  commander  is  to  either 
destroy  the  technology  or  carry  out 
the  Core's  dastardly  plan. 

Not  Totally  New... 

Of  course,  this  is  just  a veneer 
over  Cavedog's  attempt  to  wring 
more  out  of  its  hit  franchise.  After 
aii,  TOTAL  ANNIHILATION  was  by 
most  accounts  the  best  real-time 
strategy  game  of  last  year,  and 
most  gamers  clamored  for  more. 
Thankfully,  the  story  notwithstand- 
ing, CORE  CONTINGENCY  is  true  to 
its  namesake.  The  3D-5haded 
graphics  continue  to  set  the  stan- 
dard for  reai-time  warscapes,  and 
thusTACC's  iine-of-sight  physics 
modei  remains  the  oniy  one  that 
makes  sense.  For  example,  you  can 
see  the  high  ground  just  by  look- 
ing, and  the  effective  use  of  shad- 
ows prevents  you  from  building 
new  batteries  in  locations  blocked 
by  trees.  The  other  hallmark  of  the 
original — hundreds  of  diverse,  fuiiy 
animated  3D  units — aiso  continues 
with  TACC.The  returning  units  are 
joined  by  many  juicy  additions, 
including  hover  tanks,  air-repair 
pads,  seapiane  construction  facili- 
ties, mine-laying  units,  and  under- 
water metal  extractors.  Unlike  in 
the  original,  both  the  old  and  new 
units  are  well  balanced  with  mas- 
sive energy  and  metal  require- 
ments, limiting  the  firing  rate  of 
the  most  powerful  weapons. 

The  battles  inTACC  range  across 
24  new  single-player  missions  (1 2 
on  each  side)  and  four  planets.  Two 
additional  planets  (including  a des- 


by  Cameron  J.  Ritchie 

Just  when  you  thought  it 
was  safe  to  go  back  into  the 
galaxy,  the  Core  have 
returned.  As  TOTAL 
ANNIHILATION;  THE  CORE 
CONTINGENCY  opens,  we 
find  that  the  Core  have 
escaped  annihilation  and 
resurfaced  in  the  Ocelon  system.  It 
turns  out  those  pesky  Core-sters 


Direct3D  support?  Third,  the  instal- 
lation is  a bloated  200MB.  Finally, 
the  Al  is  occasionally  screwy.  For 
example,  the  computer  would 
leave  a full  air  force  out  of  the  bat- 
tle while  I annihilated  his  ground 
force.  But  even  with  these  flaws, 
TACCs  gameplay  remains  too  big  a 
draw  to  warrant  anything  but  a 
positive  recommendation.  LK'i'J 


KROGOTH 

Among  the  many  new 
units  (which  are  now 
better  balanced)  is  this 
superpowerful  Krogoth 
super-Kbot 


olate  urban  land- 
scape) are  avail- 
able in  multiplayer 
mode.  If  this  isn't 
enough,  there  is  a 
bonus  mission  with 
the  impossibly 
powerful  new 
Krogoth  super- 
Kbot,  and  the  full 
mission  editor  used 
to  develop  the 
original  levels. 

The  game's  few 
shortcomings  are  so  obvious  that 
I'm  mystified  as  to  why  they 
weren't  addressed.  First,  the  man- 
ual forTACC  is  simply  the  two- 
page  CD  insert.  There  are  no  unit 
descriptions,  no  instructions,  noth- 
ing. Second,  the  game  still  lacks 
30-accelerator  support.  Why  would 
a game  that  touts  itself  as  the  3D 
real-time  strategy  sim  not  have 


APPEAL:  Fans  of 
the  original,  any 
real-time  strategy 
gamer. 

PROS:  Spectacular 
graphics;  lots  of 
units;  powerful  unit 
Al;  mission  editor; 
wide  variety  of  coo!  new  units. 

CONS:  No  manual  or  unit  descriptions; 
no  3D  support;  occasionally  bad  Al. 
DIFFICULTY:  Intermediate. 
REQUIREMENTS;  Windows  95, 
Pentium  1 00, 32M8  RAM,  1 00MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM  drive, 

3D  SUPPORT:  None. 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem, 
LAN,TCP/IP;1  CD  per  3 players. 

Price:  $24.99 

Publisher:  Cavedog  Entertainment. 

Seattle,  WA 
610-4847 


A 


v.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1996 


Developed  by 


Stralegic  Simiilations.  Inc.,  a Mmdscape  Company. 

All  rights  reserved.  All  other  tradamarks  and  registered 
trademarks  are  the  property  ol  their  respective  holders. 
Cover  photograph;  UPl/Corbls-Bellman, 


GRAPHICS  THAT  PACK  ^ 

THE  PUNCH  OF  A PANTHER:  ^ 

Indudes  superior  3D  rendering  ^ 
with  texture  mapping,  directional 
lighting  and  fog  effects. 


INCLUDE:  Hhtorically 
rate  drh/er,  male 
machine  gunner 
irieun. 

threeHUMaiteTf  xoom 
and  elevation  views. 


COMMANDER. 

The  most  comprehensive 
World  War  II  tank  sim  ever! 


> US,  Brhbh,  Russian  and 
German  tanksi  Over  24  driveable 
tank  types  include:  US  M26  Pershing 
and  M4  Sherman  series;  British 
Matilda  and  Cromwell  series; 
Russian  T~34/8S  and  IS-II  series; 
German  Tiger  I,  II  and  Panther 
series  - and  many  more. 

>■  Choose  your  position: 

Commander,  driver,  main  or 
machine  gunner.  Your  intelligent 
crew  follows  your  commands 
- and  crew  perhrmance  Improves 
with  every  successhii  scenario! 


>■  Virtually  limitless  gameplay: 

Rght  3 German  and  3 Russian  cam- 
paigns, with  20+  scenarios  per  cam- 
paign. Stand-alone  scenarios 
include  10  each  for  U.S.,  British, 
German  and  Russian  forces.  You 
also  get  10  scenarios  designed 
specifically  for  multiplayl 

h Powerful  Scenario  Editor 

lets  you  adjust  over  150  variables  to 
create  custom  scenarios  - no  two 
battles  need  ever  be  the  same. 


>■  Highly  accurate  physics  model 

simulates  realistic  movement  over 
rough,  muddy  and  frozen  terrain, 
weapons  recoil  and  performance. 

>■  Multiplayer  support  for  up 
to  6 players. 

P-  Additional  game  objects 

include  support  vehicles,  pillboxes 
anti-tank  guns  and  enemy  aircraft 

To  Order:  Visit  your  retailer  or  call 
1-800-234-3088  (USA  & (^nada) 
with  VISA  or  MasterCard. 


E'. 


www,paniercommander,com 

Go  to  #239  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


REVIEW  • CHRONX 


Future  Magic 

The  Virtual  World  Brings  Forth  Cardless  Card  Gaming 


byTahsin  Shamma 

You  know  you're  get- 
ting old  when  words 
like  "newfangled" 
enter  your  vocabulary.  I 
haven't  thought  about 
using  this  one  before, 
but  the  computerized 
collectible  card  game 
CHRONX  is  a perfect  candidate  for 
this  description, 

Personally,  I'm  used  to  owning 
things  with  physical  substance.  In 
CHRONX,  the  old  notion  of  physi- 
cally owning  your  property  is 
absent.  Your  cards  are  virtual,  not 
individual  pieces  of  cardboard. 
However,  this  twist  represents  a 
refreshing  change  to  traditional 
card  gaming. 

CHRONX  is  a game  with  more 
strategic  (and  less  tactical)  game- 
play  than  you  would  expect.  In 
other  card  games,  your  cards  are 
commonly  played  in  discrete  are- 
nas where  they  encounter  oppos- 
ing cards.  In  CHRONX,  your  cards 
represent  game  structures  that 


ESEez^b 

APPEAL:  Card  gamers  \vho  want  to 
supplement  their  card  game  diet  with 
good  online  fare. 

PROS:  Cheaper  than  most  collectible 
card  games;  great  design;  easy  to  learn. 
CONS:  Screen  switching  can  slow 
gameplay;  game  design  could  hamper 
future  card-design  possibilities;  no  physi- 
cal evidence  of  your  purchase 
DIFFICULTY:  Intermediate. 

SYSTEM  REQUIREMENTS: 

Pentium  or  faster,  1 6MB  RAM,  Windows 
95  or  NT  4.0,  SVGA  graphics  card  capa- 
ble of  800x600  resolution  in  256  colors, 
Internet  connecdon  (either  dial-up  or 
direct  connection). 

3D  SUPPORT:  None. 

MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Internet 
only  (2  players):  1 CD  per  player. 

Price:  S25  (basic  regisirailorr  lor  180  Cards) 
Publisher:  Genetic  Anomalies 
Cambridge,  MA 
(617)  374-7500 


v.geneticanomalies.c 


DECK  BUILDING  CHRONX 
includes  a terrific  deck  man- 
ager that  lets  you  organize 
your  collection  in  a variety 
of  ways. 


the  pace  at  which  new  rules  are 
added  could  be  slower  than  in  the 
"paper-based"  games.  This  is  more 
of  a caveat  than  a complaint.  For 
now  the  game  is  deep  enough  to 
last  quite  a while. 

CHRONX's  online-only  nature 
doesn't  detract  from  gameplay, 
and  doesn't  really  hamper  card 
trading.  Trading  is  handled  easily 
by  virtue  of  the  clean  interface. 

CHRONX  is  a solid  game.  If  you 
don't  have  the  energy  or  funds  to 
get  out  of  the  house  to  find  other 
card  gamers,  CHRONX  is  a good 
way  to  get  the  feel  of  real-world 
card  gaming  without  the  real- 
world  clutter.  K'i'.'J 


exist  in  cities  throughout  the 
real  world. 


Dark  Future 

CHRONX's  gameworld  is  a 
dark  future,  reminiscent  of 
Neuromancer  and  Blade 
Runner.  The  governments  of 
the  world  have  collapsed, 
and  the  only  institutions  left 
are  secret  organizations.  As 
the  leader  of  an  organiza- 
tion, your  job  is  to  eliminate 
other  organizations  that 
threaten  your  own.  Agents, 
vehicles,  animals,  and  even 
plants,  are  yours  to  move 
between  cities  in  a strategic 
battle  to  eliminate  your 
opponent's  headquarters. 

The  game  splits  into  two 
levels.  On  the  first,  you  place  your 
bases  in  cities  across  the  globe  and 
enhance  your  resources,  while  try- 
ing to  eliminate  your  opponent's 
bases  and  find  his  headquarters. 
When  you  encounter  enemy 
agents,  the  tactical  level  takes  over 
as  you  battle  for  domination  of 
each  city.  If  you  can  imagine  play- 
ing a card  game  over  many  tables, 
in  which  only  cards  on  the  same 
table  can  affect  each  other,  you're 
starting  to  get  the  idea.  This 
method  is  implemented  by  having 
each  city  as  a separate  game 
screen.  To  look  at  other  cities,  you 
zoom  out  to  the  satellite  view  and 


then  zoom  in  to  the  new  location. 
For  longer  games,  you  can  play 
with  more  cities.  Shorter  games 
just  set  you  up  with  fewer  cities. 

No  Interface  Blues  Here 

One  of  the  greatest  things  about 
CHRONX  is  its  interface.  The  screen 
has  different  areas  for  displaying 
four  vital  game  stats:  your  hand, 
cards  in  play,  card  orders,  and  a 
card  close-up  view.  This  simple 
design  takes  new  players  right  to 
the  action  without  making  them 
learn  complicated  mechanics.  It 
also  gives  experienced  players  a 
refreshing  minimalist  atmosphere. 
The  things  that  bother 
me  about  the  game  are 
slight,  but  they  do  have  a 
noticeable  impact  on 
gameplay.  The  biggest 
problem  is  that  you  must 
switch  screens  too  often. 

As  a result,  turns  take 
much  longer  than  normal, 
especially  if  you  like  to 
meticulously  check  all  of 
your  moves  before  you  end 
the  turn.  Card  abilities  are 
easy-to-understand  and 
simple  to  implement,  but 


GLOBE  TROHERS  Here's  a shot  of  the 
strategic  view,  where  you  zoom  in  on 
the  individual  cities  and  hot  spots. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


v.computergaming.c 


LIBERATION  DAY  • REVIEW 


Crash  Landing 

Interactive  Magic's  Latest  Strategy  Game  Is  a Roller-Coaster  Ride 


by  Tim  Carter 


You  have  been  called  to 
rescue  a decimated 
human  space  colony 
from  the  tyrannical 
and  bloody  vagaries  of 
no  less  than  three  bru- 
tal alien  races.  The 
'Afoe-begotten  space 
settlers  need  to  be  liberated.  They 
deserve  to  be  liberated.  Weil,  I'd 
like  to  be  liberated  too.  I'd  like  to 
be  liberated  from  lousy,  half-baked 
documentation;  I'd  like  to  be  liber- 
ated from  poorly  v/ritten,  silly 
back-stories  and  goofy  alien  race 
names;  I'd  like  to  be  liberated  from 
software  that  requires  a patch 
even  before  it  has  been  released  to 
the  public. 

1 desperately  need  liberation — 
and  I suspect  that  I'm  not  alone. 
Will  Interactive  Magic's  LIBERATION 
DAY  be  our  Luke  Skywalker,  our 
Buck  Rogers,  or  our  Captain 
Picard?  It  depends  on  whether  you 
take  your  strategy  gaming  with  the 
occasional  crash  bug. 


e pu22lelike 
scenarios;  weak  documentation. 
DIFFICULTY:  intermediate. 
REQUIREMENTS:  Pentium  90, 
Windows  95, 16MB  RAM,  100MB  hard- 
drive  space,  4x  CD-ROM  drive,  SVGA 
graphics  card, 

3D  SUPPORT;  None 
MULTIPLAYER  SUPPORT:  Modem 
{2  players),  LAN  (up  to  4 players);  1 CD 
per  player. 

Price;  J29.95 

Publisher:  Irierective  Magic 
Research  Triangle  Park,  NC 
3)  789-1534 


Somewhere  under  this  game's 
clutter  is  an  enjoyable  experience. 
Sadly,  you  have  to  work  too  hard 
to  get  to  it. 

Playing  LIBERATION  DAY  is 
something  of  an  exercise  in  shift- 
ing emotions.  The  documentation, 
while  not  appalling,  leaves  much 
to  be  desired:  I read  it,  I was 
unhappy.  Yet,  the  interface  is  so 
simple  and  intuitive  that  the 
weak  instructions  are  no  bar  to 
actually  playing  the  game:  I 
played,  1 was  happy  again. 

Unfortunately,  LIBERATION  DAY 
crashes  with  an  annoying  fre- 
quency, especially  when  saving 
and  reloading  campaign  games:  I 
was  unhappy  again. 

Just  to  keep  you  off  balance, 
however,  the  game  doesn't  crash 
all  the  time,  and  it's  capable  of 
going  long  periods  without  any 
glitches.  If  you're  lucky  or  diligent 
enough,  you’ll  discover  an  entirely 
enjoyable  beer-and-pretzels  turn- 
based  strategy  game  with  surpris- 
ing depth  and  flexibility. 

At  this  point,  I can't  say  for  cer- 
tain whether  I was  pleased  with 
the  game's  potential  or  thoroughly 
annoyed  that  1-Magic  apparently 
couldn’t  invest  the  time  and  effort 


to  make  this  puppy  work  properly 
from  the  start. 

Half-Baked  Goods 

LIBERATION  DAY  follows  the 
timeworn  pattern  of  sequential 
scenarios  in  a linear  campaign. 

Each  scenario  represents  a single 
battle,  and  between  each  one  you 
gain  resources  to  improve  your 
home  base.  While  some  scenarios 
have  the  same  puzzlelike  feel  of 
the  more  repetitive  real-time  strat- 
egy games,  many  scenarios  follow 
the  "last  army  standing"  format 
preferred  by  true  wargamers. 

Both  the  strategic  and  tactical 
portions  of  the  game  are  quite  sim- 
ple, and  gamers 
weaned  on  MOO 
and  CIVILIZATION 
may  find  the  lack 
of  options  dis- 
concerting. But 
this  simplicity  in 
no  way  detracts 
from  the  fun 
once  battle  is 
joined.  As  long 
as  you  recognize 
that  this  is  a 
quick-and-dirty 
tactical  game 


with  a few  strategic  elements,  it 
shouldn't  disappoint. 

Depending  on  the  buildings 
available,  your  armed  forces  can 
include  various  types  of  infantry, 
armor,  artillery,  naval,  and  air 
units.  Although  LIBERATION  DAY  is 
turn-based,  opportunity  fire 
(referred  to  as  "overwatch  fire"  in 
the  game)  plays  a large  role  in 
tactical  planning. 

The  game  design  is  such  that 
combined  arms  generally  work 
better  than  forces  that  emphasize 
only  one  type  of  unit.  Also,  you 
absolutely  must  use  the  terrain  to 
your  advantage  if  you  want  to 
win  regularly. 

TTiere  are  a number  of  other 
neat  touches  to  the  game,  includ- 
ing the  use  of  mines,  and  the  way 
that  the  enemy  races  have  been 
designed.  However,  the  weak  doc- 
umentation and  the  nondescriptive 
online  encyclopedia  totally  under- 
mine the  effort  that  went  into  the 
alien  designs.  What's  the  point  of 
creating  distinct  armies  and  then 
not  explaining  what  they  are? 

LIBERATION  DAY  has  all  the 
makings  of  a fast  and  furious  tac- 
tical system,  with  just  enough 
depth— opportunity  fire,  terrain, 
distinctive  units,  decent  Al,  and 
diverse  scenarios — to  qualify  as  a 
good  wargame.  If  only  it  didn't 
crash  every  half-hour  or  so.  I'd  be 
happy  to  recommend  it.  £2317 


BY  THE  BOOK  The  competent  albeit  meager, 
encyclopedia  helps  with  unit  info,  but  can't 
make  up  for  the  terrible  documentation. 


www.computergaming.com 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


Command  up  to  12  MecfiWarriors  against  dozens  of 
enemy  'Mechs,  Elementals,  and  armored  vehicles. 
Buy  'Mechs,  weapons  and  pilots  to  create  a 
unit  to  your  specifications.  Use  salvage  from  the 
battlefield  or  trade-in  what  you  don't  need. 


• The  most  animation  in  game  hidlo^  guarantees 
off-the-scale  visual  effects.  /. 

• 30  in-depth  missions.  " 

• Full  multiplayer  network  capability, 


• Should  you  give  your  Elite  MechWarriors  long 
range  weapons  and  play  it  safe?  Or  send  them  into 
the  fray  and  trust  their  skills  and  your  tactics  to 
get  them  back  alive? 


o ^ 

BArtiXTBSM 


You  are  in  command  of  the 
MechWarriors'*  of  Zuiu 
Company.  On  the  pianet  beiow, 
they  await  your  orders. 

Each  decision  you  make, 
each  parry  and  feint,  bears 
consequence.  You  hesitate 
and  the  recruit  you  nurtured 
into  an  experienced 
MechWarrior  is  iost.  His  death 
a stunning  biow.  The  caiis  for 
back  up,  the  missiie  impacts, 
the  piiot's  final  scream.  All 
play  loud  and  clear. 

Retrieve  the  survivors  and 
their  ’Mechs'*.  Repair  and  refit 
what  you  can.  Move  your  best 
MechWarriors  into  the  best 
’Mechs.  Or  add  a new  pilot. 

The  next  mission  beckons. 

This  is  MechCommander. 
You  will  know  what  it  is 
to  command. 


rmriB 


■■life  ! J i. 


Avoilabie  for  Windows  95/98.  Visir  your  iocal  retailor  dr  t&1M.<s0O.69S.^SME  day  or  night  (US  and  Canada^ 


t 


e 1998  FASA  Corpotaiioi).  PybtlshBcl  by  MfcroPfoSe.  MloroProsa  Is  a raelsiefeo  tfndemaris  el  MlcroProsa,  Inc,  or  Hs  aftlliaieil  compnnlefl,  BatllsTsoh,  MBcJiWarHpr.  DatiloMech  ferid  'Maco  ai 
irudemarlisantlMecliCommandBf  is  a Trademark  of  FASA  Corporaiiiiri.UaetJ  under  iiceiise.Tbe  FASA  IrrlerHclive  logodasldn  le  a trademark  6I  FASA  irtieiMlivB.lnSr  ' ' ' 


ar  lisdemaiks  are  ptopertles  ol  ihelr  lespenive  holders. 


1 

- o V ¥-1'  11. 1- 

1 touwillbe.rightP 
• f You  will  be  wrong. 

Wliiw 

You  will  love'yourYrobps. 

if 

You  wlj 

iflJM 

e jiiiHOssiblej'""»»'p“"''“' 

iH™ 

|i-H-  tlTifi 

llV/HryautjrMUlu 

Yoi 

lOJnVi  ' 

irfear^  " 
is  to  comman 

^wi!l 

You  Willi 

p^thepric 

ict  on  insUnc^QU 

HB 

1 

\f  wha^  it 

www.niicroprose.com 

www.mechcommander.com 


FAS  A'?INTER  ACTIVE 

Go  to  #282  @ www.computergaming.com/infoIink 


REVIEWS 


AAASTERMIND/KUBA/BRIDCE  DELUXE  II 


All  Classics,  All  the  Time 

Classics  and  Puzzle  Games  at  a Glance 


Mastermind 

'A  'A  ik  ik  -A 

Publisher;  Hasbro 
SI  9.95 

www.hasbro-interactive.com 

My  earliest  lessons  in  logic 
came  at  the  hands  of  my  big 
brother  and  his  Mastermindhoard. 

I fondly  remember  afternoons  lying 
on  our  bedroom  carpet,  staring  at 
him  across  the  plastic  pegboard, 
trying  to  guess  just  how  crafty  he'd 
been,  I feel  a little  sad  for  the  child 
of  today,  staring  only  into  the  eyes 
of  his  computer. 

Still,  there  are  things  a computer 
can  do  that  my  brother  never 
could.  MASTERMIND  provides  young 
players  with  animated  "pegs"  in 
the  shape  of  animals  or  robots,  and 
allows  advanced  adult  players  to 
test  their  mettle  in  a supertough 
version,  in  which  each  peg  has 
three  attributes — color,  position, 


you  intend  to  concentrate;  and 
unfortunately,  the  classic  game  can 
be  played  only  against  the  Al. 
Otherwise  MASTERMIND  is  a satis- 
fying adaptation.  Plenty  has  been 
added  in  the  transition  to  the  com- 
puter screen;  it  almost  makes  up 
for  the  absence  of  a big  brother. 

— Charles  Ardai 


Kuba 

A A A A A 

Publisher:  Patch 
S39.99 

www.pdtchproducts.com 

The  mania  for  computerizing 
board  games  has  proceeded 
from  classics  like  Chess  and 
Scrabble  \o  rather  more  question- 
able candidates  such  as  KUBA. 
Owing  as  much  to  Sumo 
wrestling  as  to  Chinese  Checkers, 
KUBA  is  a board-clearing  game  in 
which  you  conquer  your  oppo- 
nent's marbles,  not 
by  jumping  over 
them,  but  by  pushing 
them  off  the  edge  of 
the  game  board.  The 
board  also  contains 
13  neutral  marbles, 
and  either  player  can 
also  win  by  pushing 
seven  of  these  over 
the  edge. 

Players  move  their 
marbles  one  space  at 
a time,  unless  they  succeed  in 
pushing  a marble  off,  in  which 
case  they  move  again.  The  basic 
tension  of  the  game  is  between 
protecting  your  marbles,  which 
means  keeping  them  away  from 
the  edges,  and  attacking  your 
opponent's,  which  means 
approaching  the  edges. 

Games  proceed  very  quickly, 
often  ending  suddenly,  when  one 
player  manages  to  push  four  or  five 
opposing  marbles  off  at  once. 
Initially,  you'll  be  taken  aback  by 
how  swiftly  the  computer  beats 


and  shape — rather  than  two.  There 
are  head-to-head  variations,  in 
which  two  players  race  on  side-by- 
side  boards.  There  are  timed  games 
in  which  you  have  to  guess  a 
sequence  of  numbers  before  a 
bomb  explodes.  And  there's  the 
classic  game,  in  which  you  must 
correctly  guess  a computer-gener- 
ated sequence  of  pegs  before  your 
ladder  of  guesses  runs  out. 

Gameplay  is  regrettably  stiff — 

I found  it  difficult  to  pick  up  and 
place  the  pegs;  the  pounding  back- 
ground music  must  be  shut  off  if 


you,  but  an  hour  later  you'll  have 
picked  up  its  basic  strategies. 

As  usual,  there  are  several  set- 
tings from  which  to  choose  ('50s 
diner,  surface  of  Mars,  and  a few 
more),  along  with  ambient  sound 
effects  and  a soundtrack  full  of 
harpsichord  tinkling,  But  that's  just 
drapery,  not  a sufficient  reason  to 
play  this  game  on  a computer.  And 
what  if  you're  alone  and  need  a 
computer  opponent?  Trust  me:  you 
would  be  happier  with  SCRABBLE  or 
Chess.  — Charles  Ardai 


Bridge  Deluxe  II 
With  Omar  Sharif 

(Windows  95) 

A A A A A 

Publisher:  Interplay  Produaions 
Price:  S29.95 
www.interplay.com 

Not  long  ago,  the  DOS  version 
of  BRIDGE  DELUXE  II  with  Omar 
Sharif  seemed  like  a quality  prod- 
uct. It  played  a reasonably  good 
game,  had  a 
large  variety  of 
bidding  conven- 
tions from  which 
to  choose,  and 
appealed  to  a 
wide  crowd  by 
virtue  of  its 
attractive  multi- 
media  compo- 
nents. Today's 
Windows  95 


incarnation  of 
the  product 
shows  its  age 
worse  than  the 
celebrity  who 
appears  in  it. 
Even  on  a P200, 
the  pace  of  play 
feels  sluggish, 
and  the  network 
play  option  is 
even  worse. 
BRIDGE 

DELUXE  ll's  mul- 
timedia is  still  clear  and  audible, 
but  you  must  turn  off  Omar 
Sharif's  commentary  at  an  early 
stage.  It  is  annoying  to  hear  Sharif 
say,  "That  was  good  playl"  even 
when  you  played  a hand  Incor- 
rectly. It  is  even  more  annoying  to 
be  praised  when  your  partner  has 
just  wasted  a high  trump  after 
you've  guaranteed  the  capture  of 
a trick.  Even  though  several  exotic 
bidding  conventions  are  coded 
into  the  bidding  procedure,  your 
Al  partner  rarely  follows  up — 
leaving  you  vulnerable  to  being 
doubled.  Even  the  tutorial — once 
the  strength  of  this  product— isn't 
very  helpful. 

The  DOS  foundation  of  the  pro- 
gram means  that  extra  keystrokes 
are  required  just  to  reach  the  pull- 
down menus,  network  play  does 
not  support  basic  Internet  connec- 
tivity, and  the  graphic  portrayal  of 
the  table  Is  so  poor  that  you  can't 
tell  if  the  green  background  is  a 
table  or  a shag  carpet. 

— Johnny  Wilson 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


www.compufergaming.com 


music  available 


Panasonic* 


AlLlSO/fy' 

/s  HA¥//fy'C 

HB  ULTjiMa.T^ 

' baB  Ha  be 


WWW.SPACEBUNNIES.COM 

WWW.RIPCORDGAMES.COM 


'ffi 

W-"' ' 

'i 

Si'/ 

jii 

STRATEGY  • CHEATS  • WALKTHROUGHS 


Jane's  F-15 

Mastering  Air-to-Air  Combat  While  Using  Realistic  Radar 


by  Tom  "KC"  Basham 

For  the  most  part,  the  gen- 
eral public  views  the 
modern  battlefield  as  a 
push-button,  video-game 
affair.  The  abundance  of 
"relaxed  realism"  sims 
and  the  preponderance  of 
Gulf  War  videos  tend  to 
promote  that  view.  An  entertain- 
ment simulation  realistic  enough 
to  refute  this  stereotype  is  indeed 
a rare  gem.  Happily,  JANE'S  F-15  is 
one  such  jewel. 

Incorporating  this  game's  high 
level  of  detail,  however,  also 
increases  the  sim's  difficulty. 

Unlike  the  real  F-15E,  which  car- 
ries a crew  of  two,  JANE'S  F-1 5 
places  the  burden  on  you  to  both 
fly  the  aircraft  and  manipulate  its 
systems.  The  combination  of  diffi- 
culty and  workload  may  be  too 
much  for  some  gamers  to  handle. 
This  installment  of  Gamer's  Edge 
explores  F-1 5 '5  air-to-air  avionics 
and  weapons,  shedding  light  on 
these  complex  topics. 


Radar  101 

Radar,  of  course,  is  the  primary 
long-range  detection  tool  used  by 
modern  aircraft.  Many  sims  por- 
tray radar  as  an  all-seeing  crystal 
ball  providing  the  flight  crew  with 
a perfect  picture  that  wraps  360 
degrees  around  the  aircraft.  In  real 
life,  radar  works  more  like  a flash- 
light in  a pitch-black  room.  The 
flashlight  beam  illuminates  only  a 
small  area.  In  order  to  navigate 
across  the  room  without  tripping 
over  items  on  the  floor,  bumping 
your  head  on  items  hanging  from 


See  the  Review 

JULY  ISSUE  • 4.5  STARS 


MIG  MASTER  Remember  that  your  radar  also  alerts  the  bad  guys  that  you're  looking  for  them — 
this  MiG-21  just  scored  a victory  because  it  knew  the  F-15s  were  coming. 


the  ceiling,  or  being  waylaid  by 
creatures  lurking  in  the  dark,  you 
steer  the  beam  around  the  room. 

Finding  airborne  targets  with 
radar  depends  on  properly  adjust- 
ing the  shape  of  the  scan  beam 
and  then  pointing  it  in  the  right 
direction.  We  adjust  the  width  in 
three  attributes:  width,  height,  and 
range.  The  width,  or  azimuth,  is 
usually  measured  in  degrees  on 
either  side  of  the  nose.  A 60- 
degree  scan,  for  example,  would 
scan  30  degrees  to  the  right  and 
30  degrees  to  the  left  of  the  nose. 
Height,  or  elevation,  of  the  scan  is 
measured  in  bars.  Each  bar  repre- 
sents one  horizontal  sweep  of  the 
radar  across  the  azimuth  settings. 
A two-bar  scan,  therefore,  is  twice 
as  tall  as  a one-bar  scan.  Page 
2.52  of  the  F-1 5 manual  provides 
a diagram  of  different  combina- 
tions of  azimuth  and  elevation. 


adar  works  like  a 
flashlight  in  a 
pitch-black  room. 

Finding  airborne  targets 
with  radar  depends  on 
adjusting  the  shape 
of  the  scan  beam  and 
pointing  it  in  the 
right  direction. 

Once  you've  selected  the  height 
and  width,  the  radar  sweeps 
through  the  pattern.  It  takes  a 
finite  amount  of  time  for  the  radar 
to  cover  the  pattern.  Logically,  the 
larger  the  pattern,  the  longer  it 
takes  the  radar  to  scan  it.  Data  on 
each  deteaed  target  is  updated 
on/y  when  the  radar  paints  that 


particular  spot.  A smaller  scan 
area,  therefore,  provides  more  fre- 
quent updates  on  the  target  or 
targets,  but  it  also  possibly  misses 
other  targets  by  covering  a smaller 
volume  of  sky. 

Adjusting  the  range  works  a lit- 
tle differently.  The  description  of 
range  limits  on  manual  page  4.22 
Is  somewhat  misleading.  The  radar 
energy  travels  out,  strikes  a target, 
and  reflects  back  to  your  aircraft. 
Since  the  strength  of  the  wave 
dissipates  as  it  travels,  the 
strength  of  the  return  wave  indi- 
cates the  distance  to  the  target. 
The  radar  then  filters  out  contaas 
detected  beyond  the  selected 
range  setting.  Remember  that 
with  a range  setting  of,  for  exam- 
ple, 40nm,  the  energy  must  travel 
an  80nm  round-trip — from  the 
transmitter  to  the  target  and  back 
again.  The  energy  that  doesn't 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORE 


ii.computergaming.f 


y 

' + ' ' ' ' ' 

sg  ( 1 

[2^ 

u 'i£57ss 

J 15-0  H j 

R 23.H  ‘ 

,7  SEC  J 

1 Mfiti  1£0Fi  S n 

Ml  1.180  2T 

1.2  6.56 

CLASSIFIED  DATA  Mudi  of  the  information  on  this  HUD  regarding 

weapon  performance  is  blacked  out  when  the  U.S.  Department 

of  Defense  releases  real-world  gun  camera  footage. 



strike  the  target,  therefore,  will 
travel  at  least  80nm  in  a straight 
line.  While  it  is  technically  possible 
for  the  radar  unit  to  decrease  out- 
put power  for  shorter-range  selec- 
tions, always  assume  that  your 
radar  will  be  able  to  be  detected 
at  a distance  at  least  two  times 
the  selected  range  setting. 

Radar  a la  Mode 

Manipulating  and  steering  the 
cone,  and  interpreting  its  results, 
are  not  trivial  processes.  The  APG- 
70  radar  simplifies  all  this  some- 
what by  providing  numerous 
modes.  Each  mode  has  a specific 
purpose  and  set  of  parameters. 
Some  "hands-free"  modes,  like 
Boresight  and  Vertical  Scan, 
attempt  to  lock  close-ranged  tar- 
gets during  a dogfight  with  a min- 
imum of  pilot  input.  Other  modes 
give  you  more  control  over  the 
scan  pattern  for  long-ranged 


searches  and  multiple-target 
engagements.  Counting  all  vari- 
eties of  modes,  submodes,  and 
supersearch  modes,  there  are  13 
different  air-to-air  modes  available 
in  JANE'S  F-IB.  The  more  modes 
you  understand  and  are  comfort- 
able with,  the  more  options  you 
have  during  combat.  Nonetheless, 
I'll  be  honest:  I don't  use  them  all. 
Like  most  players  (and  real-world 
combat  pilots  I've  spoken  with),  I 
gravitate  to  the  subset  of  modes 
that  I find  most  useful. 

I don't  like  changing  modes  any 
more  than  I have  to.  Changing 
modes  blanks  the  MPD,  erasing 
the  tactical  information  collected 
so  far.  Changing  modes  can  also 
modify  scan  cone  parameters, 
often  requiring  additional  user- 
input  to  reacquire  previously 
detected  targets,  If  I can't  find  a 
target  that  AWACS  or  JSTARS 
reports,  then  I may  be  forced  to 


switch  modes.  Overall,  though,  I 
try  to  minimize  the  amount  of 
time  spent  tweaking  the  radar. 

Before  starting  a radar  search, 
contact  AWACS  to  get  a picture  of 
the  air  battle  so  far.  Press  Ctrl-P  to 
ask  AWACS  for  an  overall  summa- 
ry of  the  battle  zone  referenced 
from  a common  bulls-eye,  I don't 
find  this  particular  request  very 
useful.  First,  in  a crowded  area 
AWACS  jabbers  interminably, 
throwing  out  contacts  faster  than 
I can  jot  them  down.  Second,  the 
references  to  bulls-eye  are  impre- 
cise and  subject  to  interpretation. 
Consequently.  I prefer  the  Ctrl-B 
(Bogey  Dope)  request.  This  time, 
AWACS  gives  me  a precise  head- 
ing (although  they  call  it  a bear- 
ing) and  range  to  the  enemy 
along  with  information  about  the 
target's  flight  path  (closing,  mov- 
ing away,  flanking,  and  so  on). 

This  generally  tells  me  where  to 
begin  my  air-to-air  search. 

If  AWACS  doesn't  report  any- 
thing very  close,  if  AWACS  isn't 
available,  or  if  I have  no  reason  to 
suspect  that  bandits  are  very 
close,  I begin  my  search  in  Vector 
(VCTR)  mode.  Make  no  mistake 
about  it,  VCTR  mode  is  extremely 
slow.  It  scans  a very  large  chunk 
of  airspace.  It  provides  a very 
thorough  analysis,  reporting  both 
low-closure  and  long-range  tar- 
gets. Because  it's  so  slow,  though, 
it's  difficult  to  keep  tabs  on  high- 
closure  targets. 

Once  I know  that  there  are  con- 
tacts in  a given  area  (either  from 
AWACS  or  VCTR  mode).  I switch 
to  Range  While  Search  Interleaved 
(RWSI)  mode.  This  is  my  favorite 
mode  for  keeping  tabs  on  multiple 
targets.  The  enemy  probably  won't 
identify  the  relatively  slow  scan 
rate  as  a lock  and  it  provides  a 
good  tradeoff  between  the  other 
RWS  modes.  If  necessary,  I gener- 
ally don't  use  RWS  High  (RWSH) 
or  RWS  Medium  (RWSM)  unless  I 
specifically  know  I'm  looking  for  a 


Size 

Matters 

Radar  Cross 
Section  (RCS) 


When  radar  energy 
strikes  a target,  some 
portion  of  the  energy  is 
reflected  back.  The  size  and 
shape  of  the  target  deter- 
mines how  much  energy  is 
reflected.  The  radar  wave 
loses  energy  as  it  travels.  For 
the  radar  to  detect  the  tar- 
get, enough  energy  must  be 
reflected  back  to  the  trans- 
mitter to  be  detected.  If  the 
target  is  too  far  away,  the 
reflected  energy  will  dissi- 
pate before  completing  the 
trip  back  to  the  radar  unit. 

in  general,  a smaller  target 
reflects  less  energy  than  a 
larger  one.  Of  course,  the 
shape  of  the  aircraft  also 
influences  radar  returns. 
Faceted  aircraft  (like  the  F- 
117)  and  rounded  aircraft 
(like  the  B-2)  reflect  energy, 
but  not  directly  toward  the 
transmitting  radar.  In  terms 
of  detection,  the  amount  of 
energy  reflected  directly  back 
to  the  radar  is  what  counts.  A 
small  object,  or  a large  object 
that  reflects  energy  at  odd 
angles,  reflects  less  energy 
back  to  the  radar  unit,  mak- 
ing it  harder  to  detect  at 
longer  ranges.  The  "apparent 
size"  of  the  target  is  referred 
to  as  the  Radar  Cross  Section 
(RCS).  The  key  to  stealth  and 
avoiding  radar  detection, 
therefore,  is  reducing  RCS. 

Consequently,  you  can  gen- 
erally detect  a larger  target 
at  longer  ranges  than  you  can 
a smaller  target.  Just  because 
you  select  an  80nm  range 
does  not  mean  you'll  detect 
every  target  within  the  scan 
zone  at  that  range.  A Tu-22 
will  generally  be  detectable 
much  farther  away  than  will 
a MiG-21. 


v.cotnpulergaming.t 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


JANE'S  F-15 


Stay  on 
Target 

Radar  Lock-On 


The  term  radar  lock-on  is 
often  misunderstood.  Just 
tike  many  automobiles,  air- 
craft carry  radar  detectors. 
Such  detectors  monitor  both 
the  frequency  of  the  received 
signal  and  how  often  it  paints 
the  target,  if  the  emitter  is 
doing  a wide-area,  RWS-styie 
search,  it  will  not  paint  the 
target  as  often  as  if  the  emit- 
ter were  in  5TT  mode. 

Consequently,  we  assume 
that  an  increase  in  how  often 
the  radar  paints  a target  indi- 
cates that  the  emitter  is 
focusing  its  attention  on  that 
specific  target. 

A "lock-on,"  therefore,  sim- 
ply means  that  the  emitting 
radar  is  painting  the  target 
often  enough  to  provide  a 
weapon  firing  solution. 
Painting  a target  once  every 
three  seconds  probably 
wouldn't  be  interpreted  as  a 
lock  by  the  target;  painting 
the  target  three  times  per 
second  will  most  definitely 
be  perceived  as  a lock-on. 


high-  or  low-closure  rate  target. 
I've  found  RWSI  to  be  adequate 
for  the  majority  of  situations, 
especially  when  AWACS  support  is 
available. 

Other  Options 

For  the  most  part,  I avoid 
Velocity  Search  (VS)  and  Single 
Target  Track  (STT)  modes.  STT  pro- 
vides the  most  detailed  informa- 
tion about  a given  target,  but  it 


has  two  main  disadvantages,  first, 
it  provides  information  about  only 
that  target  Second,  STT's  focused 
search  pattern  will  be  interpreted 
as  a radar  lock-on  by  the  target, 
possibly  leading  it  to  believe  you 
intend  to  engage.  FALCON  3.0 
players  will  recall  that  you  could 
not  fire  missiles  at  a target  with- 
out setting  the  APG-66  to  STT 
mode  and  locking-on  that  one 
target.  Newer  radars,  such  as  the 


APG-68  (F-16C)and  theAPG-70 
(F-15C/E),  provide  a more  useful 
Track  While  Scan  (TWS)  mode. 

TWS  mode,  quite  simply,  radar- 
locks  multiple  targets  at  once. 
Although  it  searches  a smaller 
section  of  sky  than  the  RWS 
modes,  TWS  scans  a fairly  large 
area  around  the  primary  target. 
Since  it's  scanning  a larger  area 
than  STT,  the  target  may  not  rec- 
ognize that  it  has  been  radar 
locked  (see  "Stay  on  Target"  side- 
bar).  Further,  TWS  keeps  tabs  on 
multiple  targets.  I can  monitor  the 
movements  of  the  entire  group 
and  engage  multiple  targets 
simultaneously  with  missiles. 

At  close  range,  I focus  mainly 
on  Super  Search  and  Vertical  Scan. 
I typically  encounter  many  more 
hostiles  than  friendlies  in  event  of 
a dogfight.  Consequently,  Super 
Search's  larger  search  cone 
acquires  targets  farther  off  my 
nose,  often  giving  me  more  shots 
of  opportunity  against  targets  that 
just  happen  to  wander  across  my 
flight  path.  If  the  sky  is  crowded 
with  friendly  fighters,  though,  I 
may  be  forced  to  use  Boresight's 
smaller  scan  zone  to  prevent  acci- 
dentally shooting  at  my  wingman. 


Vertical  Scan  is  my  favorite  mode 
for  a sustained  turn  fight  against 
a single  target,  since  it  scans 
directly  along  the  lift  vector — 
exactly  where  I'm  trying  to  place 
the  bandit.  These  modes  are 
hands-free;  simply  select  the 
mode,  wait  for  the  radar  to  lock, 
and  fire  a missile.  They  work 
equally  well  with  either  AIM-9  or 
AIM-120  missiles,  although  most 
dogfights  occur  well  below  the 
AIM-1 20's  minimum  launch  range. 

JANE'S  F-15  is  an  incredibly 
detailed  simulation,  and  this  brief 
lesson  only  begins  to  scratch  the 
surface  of  the  product.  As  with  all 
matters  of  air  combat,  the  best 
way  to  improve  is  to  practice.  If 
you  invest  the  time  to  learn  the 
intricacies  of  the  game,  you'll  be 
rewarded  with  many  great  gam- 
ing experiences.  fiSI? 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1998 


.'.computergaming.c 


iMac-QS 


Enter  a violent  age  of  bloody  combat  and  voodoo,  where  pistols  and  scabbards  defend  against  avenging  spirits  and  a grisly  death. 


CopyrfgM  0 1993  SDK  iMtnctht.  Inc.  'Ris  3DtK  Interactive  logo  and  VCcdoo  Gnphlcs,  Voodoo^  and  Voodoo  Rusli  are  tradematta  of  3Dfi  InUtaceve.  Inc.  Triple  Play  '93  player  Imegae.  Wing  Commander  Pitvaleer  ship  Image  and  UngSow  2 helicopter  Image 
ate  eouilesy  of  Electronic  Arts.  O MLBPA.  Officially  Licensed  Sy  Major  League  Saseluil  Pbyets  Assoclalion.  AedvtslonS  la  a registeied  trademark  of  Acitvislon.  Inc.  Ritual  end  SIN  are  trademarks  of  Ritual  Enisitalnmeni  SIN  Images  are  copyright  e Ritual 
EntsrtalnmenL  OMIKRON  it  a trademark  of  Ouanttc  Dream.  Copyrl^0 1998  Quantic  Dream.  M fights  resened.  0 1997,1938  Squaie  Co.,Ud.  All  Rights  Reserved.  Final  fantasy  and  SquareSoftare  registered  trademarks  of  Square  Co.,  Ltd,  ION  STORM  and 
DA1KAI««  names  and  logos  are  trademarks  of  Ion  Storm,  LP.  All  fights  leseived.  CapytigM®  1998  ion  Storm.  Half-Ule  Image  le  courtesy  of  Valve,  Sc.  and  Sterra-On-Une,  Inc.  Half-Ufe  Is  a registered  trademark  of  Slerra-On-Une.  Inc.  a 1998  Stera-On- 


1 

1 

Go  to  #122  @ www.computergaming.com/infollnk 

Una,  inc.  0 1998  ^stwood  Sludfoi,  Inc.  lands  ot  Lofeind  Lands  ol  Lora  3 1$  a registafad  tradamart.  wd  Wastwood  Sludics  and  lands  ol  Loia  Guajdians  of  Destiny  ara  tradamarts,  0l  Westwood  Studios,  lae.  Umaif"©  1997,1998  Epic  Megagames,  Hic. 
M Rlflht  Rasefvtd.  Craatad  by  EoicMegasamss.  Inc.  In  cdlibotatlon  wltfi  DigHal  Earemes.  PuWishad  and  dislributed  by  GT  imeraettva  Sottwara  Cotp.  GT™  Is  a uademarK  and  the  ST~  (ogo  tea  fegisiered  tiademaik  ot  GT  interaetlva  Software  Cotp-  © 1998 
twenOetti  Century  Fox  Rim  Corporation.  AR  Rights  Reserved.  TVrentlem  Cenlury  FojC  and  Tax'  and  iheir  associaled  logos  are  the  properly  ol  IWantleih  Century  Fox  Rim  Corporation.  Microsoft  and  Monster  Trock  Madness  It  are  registefed  tridemarlcs  of  Mierosott 
Corporation.  O Copyright  Microsoft  Coiporation  1998.  AH  other  irademarlis  ere  tin  property  ot  their  respecttve  ownara.  AH  rtgliis  reserved. 


FLIGHT  CONTROLLERS 


/ Feet,^^Don't  Fail  Me  Now 

Van  to  your  stick  and  throttle  combination,  you  may  want 

'M-tO'Consider  adding  rudder  pedals.  In  most  modern  jet  fighter 
m simulations,  of  course,  rudder  pedals  come  into  play  only  at 
very  low  speeds — typically  during  landing  or  slow  bombing 
approaches.  But  in  something  like  LONOBOW2,  rudder  pedals  are 
almost  a necessity.  For  prop  sims,  it  varies,  but  rudder  pedals  can 
help  a lot,  particularly  If  you're  trying  to  shake  that  pesky  FW-1 90 
hot  on  your  six  in  AIR  WARRIOR. 


Loyd's  Picks 


As  I said  in  the  beginning,  choosing  the  right 
flight  controller  is  an  intensely  personal 
choice.  None  of  the  sticks  we  looked  at  can 
be  characterized  as  pure  dogs,  so  any  of  them  might 
be  suitable.  However,  I'll  go  out  on  a limb  and 
briefly  mention  my  favorites — but  remember  that 
these  are  my  choices.  They  might  not  suit  you;  that 
depends  on  your  taste. 

These  days,  I opt  for  the  F-22  Pro/TQS/Pro  Pedals 
setup.  The  Saitek  is  pretty  comfortable,  but  I prefer 
the  beefier  F-22  Pro  stick.  Finally,  I occasionally  fire 
up  the  Microsoft  Sidewinder  Force  Feedback  Pro, 
but  that's  more  for  action  and  driving  games,  not 
sims.  I'm  too  reliant  on  rudder  pedals,  and  I just 
can't  get  myself  to  like  the  twist  handle. 


Elite  Pedals 

desk,  but  the  spacing  is  supposed 
to  more  accurately  reflect  true  rud- 
der spacing. 

The  Elite  Pedals  are  very  similar 
to  the  RCS  In  appearance,  but  the 
metal  slider  lies  on  top  of  a solid 
piece  of  plastic.  The  spacing  is 
closer,  so  the  unit  will  fit  under- 
neath smaller  desks  with  relative 


pretty  well.  If  you're  in  the  market 
for  low-cost  pedals  that  do  one 
thing  very  well,  then  the  Elite  are 
a good  choice. 

Rudder  Control  System  & Elite 
Pedals.  Price:  S109.95  (RCS);  S79.95 
(Elite).  Contact:  ThrustMaster,  (503)  615- 
3200;  vvww.thrustmaster.com 

PROS:  Realistic  sliding  motion; 
durable.  CONS:  RCS  unit  is  big  for  some 
under-the-desk  spaces;  Elite  pedals  feel  a 
little  stiff. 


This  is  quite  a slick  little  unit;  it's 
well  worth  the  $79.95  price-tag. 

MasterPilot  & MasterPilot 
Programmer,  Price:  $79.95  (together). 
Contact:  Quickshot  (408)  263-4163; 
www.quickshot.com 
PROS:  Looks  like  an  MFD;  program- 
ming is  a snap;  can  be  daisy-chained. 
CONS:  Center  "display"  is  inert;  single 
cartridge  holds  only  five  programs. 


Quickshot  MasterPilot  & 
MasterPilot  Programmer 


Continued  from  page  153 
Dash).  You  select  one  of  the  five 
programs  with  a couple  of  button 
presses.  There's  a little  lever  that 
looks  like  a throttle,  and  you  can 
program  the  throttle  increment 
and  decrement.  All  other  button 
assignments  are  wide  open.  The 
MasterPilot  sits  firmly  on  a well- 
weighted  base  with  rubber  feet. 


ThrustMaster  Rudder 
Control  System 

A A A ★ ★ 


Elite  Pedals 


★ A A A A 


he  Rudder  Control  System 
(RCS)  has  changed  little 
since  ThrustMaster  first 
started  shipping  it.  The 
cables  are  a little  stur- 
dier than  the  originals, 
but  the  parallel,  hinged  metal 
brackets — now  black  instead  of 
gold  anodized — are  still  there. 
These  pedals  are  wide,  so  the  set 
takes  up  a lot  of  room  under  a 


ease.  There  is  more  plastic  con- 
tent, but  the  Elite  cost  less.  The 
feel  is  actually  a little  stiffer  and 
just  a bit  less  precise  than  the 
RCS,  but  overall,  the  pedals  work 


ThrustMaster  Rudder 
Control  System 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ♦ AUGUST  1998 


/.compulergaming.c 


The  Generation 
Extreme  Control 


got 
the 
you 
all. 

I Programmable.  Digital.  Analog. 

X Comfortable.  Cool.  Different. 

• New. 

t GenX  700  by  QuickShot  Is  all 
that  and  more.  This  pro- 
grammable  stick  comes 
complete  with  switches 
to  move  between 
digital  and  analog 
modes  for  the  HAT, 
rudder,  handle  fire 
buttons  and  X S’  V 
axes.  Plus  a 3D 
rotational  handle 
/ and  multi-view  HAT 
switch.  Your  hands 
V*"'  won’t  give  out  in  the  mid- 
dle of  battle  'cause  this  stick’s 
super-ergonomic  with  a contoured  BioThrottle™ 
complete  with  extra  fire  buttons.  And  the  GenX 
700  is  a really  cool  metallic  purple  color — sure 
. to  look  perfect  anywhere. 

But  wait,  there’s  morel  Check  out  our  streamlined 
GenX  500  and  the  extra-special  GenX  500L  — 
the  world's  first  Joystick  made  for  lefties! 

Punish  yourself  no  more.  Enter  the  generation  of 
extreme  control.  GET  THIS  STICK! ; 


^ QuicMhot 

www.quicl<shot.com 


C1 998  QuickShot  Technology,  Inc.  QuickShot  is  a registefed  trademark  of  QuickShot  Patent  (BVI)  Ltd.  GenX  700,  GenX  500  and  GenX  500L  are  tradenames  of  QuickShot  Patent  (BVI)  Ltd. 

Go  to  #260  @ www.computergamlng.com/infollnk 


WfHkOO 


»gj> 


ffie  \fjarf'iolrs 
fhe-  \/«(f«f'es. 


forget  every  gruesome  bottle 
you  hove  ever  waged.  Introducing 
Mortal  Kombat  ^ with  newly  forged 
weopons  that  will  slosh  and  bludgeon 
beyond  imaginotion.  And  a totol  3-D 
environment  thot  will  toKe  your 
senses  to  dizzying  new  heights. 


Windows'95 

CD-ROM 


Pla^lallon 


MIDWAY 

www.midway.com 


l/ortai  KomBai-4  tl998  MiflisByGamei  int.  AM  ngnis  reserved.  MIDV/AY,  t.(OflTAL  KOMBAT.  Ide  DRAGON  DESIGN  and  all  chatacler  names  are  Irademarksol  Midway  Games  Inc.  OiSIribuled  by  Midway  Home  Enlenainmeni  Inc 
N.niendo.  Nintendo  64  and  me  3-D  'N'logo  are  irademarlis  Ol  Nintendo  o(  America  Inc.  41998  Nintendo  of  America  Inc.  Licensed  by  Nintendo.  PlayStation  and  the  PlayStation  logos  ate  registered  trademarks  ol  Sony  Computer 
Enieilaifimeni  Inc.  An  other  traCemetus  and  trace  names  are  ptoperlies  cl  their  respective  ovmers. 


iviL.iiAjf'kJLfhr  i\Jkiiutii 


Darkness  is  calling. 


Go  to  #183  @ www.computergammg.com^nfohnk 


StarCraft 

Advanced  Studies:  How  Do  I Beat  That  Rush? 


Last  month,  we 
delved  into  basic 
tips,  such  as  the 
Attack  Move  command  and 
the  optimum  number  of 
peons  for  resource 
gathering.  This  month,  we'll 
discuss  advanced  strategies 
and  give  you  some  tips  on 
how  to  defend  against  the 
most  prominent  rushes. 


by  Eiliott  Chin 

What  the  Pros  Do 

The  truly  good  players  don't 
just  understand  what  a unit  does, 
they  know  what  a unit  does  for 
and  against  you.  The  pros  learn  to 
think  ahead  and  think  like  their 
enemies.  Here  are  some  things  to 
keep  in  mind  if  you  want  to  move 
to  the  big  leagues  In  STARCRAFT. 

Scout  or  Die 

Knowing  the  map  and  the 
enemy's  forces  is  the  only  way 
you'll  ever  win.  On  small  maps, 
send  your  eighth  or  ninth  peon 
unit  to  locate  your  enemies.  You'll 
see  where  they  are,  where  they 
might  attack  from  in  the  event  of 
a rush,  and  just  how  far  along 
they  are  in  their  tech  trees.  On 
larger  maps,  send  early  or 
midgame  combat  units  around  the 
map  to  see  where  the  extra 
resources  are  and  to  keep  tabs  on 
what  the  enemy  is  doing.  Always 
post  scouts  near  free  resource 
nodes  to  alert  you  when  the 
enemy  begins  construction  of  sec- 
ondary bases.  If  you  never  bother 
to  see  what  the  enemy  is  building, 
you'll  never  know  what  to  defend 
against,  or  which  units  you'll  have 
to  neutralize  during  your  offensive. 


See  the  Review 

JULY  ISSUE  • 5 STARS 


Only  Build 
What  You  Need... 

One  of  the  worst  ways  to  spend 
your  money  is  to  squander  it  on 
buildings  you  don't  need.  This 
usually  applies  in  the  very  begin- 
ning and  middle  of  games.  Don't 
just  scramble  up  the  tech  tree 
because  you  have  to.  If  you  are  on 
an  open  map  and  you  suspect  a 
rush,  why  build  a refinery  and  fac- 
tory when  an  extra  barracks  and 
the  added  marines  you  get  will 
come  In  more  handy?  If  you're  on 
an  island  map,  don't  go  for  that 
second  barracks — go  straight  for 
that  starport  instead. 


...But  Build  a Lot  of  It 

Once  you've  figured  out  what 
you  need  to  build,  make  a lot  of 
it.  If  you  know  that  air  superiority 
(and  cloaked  wraiths)  will  guar- 
antee victory  on  that  island  map, 
construct  three  or  four  starports 
and  crank  out  wraiths.  And  if  you 
know  you  need  to  upgrade  your 
units  as  quickly  as  possible,  build 
two  armories  so  you  can  research 
weapons  and  armor  upgrades  at 
the  same  time.  The  best  players 
don't  hoard  money,  they  spend  it. 
2,000  minerals  in  the  bank  is 
useless  when  the  enemy  is  bear- 
ing down  on  you  with  100  sup- 
plies' worth  of  hydralisks.  It 


would  have  been  wiser  to  use 
those  2,000  minerals  to  build 
two  extra  barracks,  factories,  and 
starports,  which  would  have 
tripled  your  unit  production  so 
you'd  have  enough  defenses 
when  that  hydra  horde  came 
knocking  on  (or,  rather,  down) 
your  door. 

Fit  the  Unit  to  the  Task 

Tailor  your  units  to  your  needs. 
Don't  just  make  a unit  because  it 
is  the  next  logical  step  in  your 
tech  advancement.  Think  carefully 
about  the  type  of  damage  your 
unit  does  (plasma,  explosive,  or 


normal),  the  size  of  your  target 
(small,  medium,  or  large),  and  the 
time  and  money  it  takes  to  build 
your  units.  There  is  always  more 
than  one  way  to  beat  an  attack, 
and  sometimes  the  most  obvious 
solution  isn't  the  best. 

As  a Protoss  player,  if  recon- 
naissance reveals  that  your  Zerg 
opponent  is  amassing  mutalisks, 
you  might  think  the  best  strategy 
would  be  to  build  carriers  to 
eliminate  those  mutas.  Think 
again.  In  order  to  get  enough 
effective  carriers  to  match  his 
mutalisk  horde,  you'd  have  to 
build  two  starports,  research  the 
carrier  capacity  upgrade,  and 
then  wait  for  your  carriers  to 
build  their  full  complement  of 
Interceptors.  Too  bad  you'd  be 
attacked  by  six  to  nine  mutalisks 
before  your  first  two  carriers  ever 
built  their  second  interceptor. 
Instead,  you  should  go  the 
cheaper,  quicker,  and  less  compli- 
cated route:  dragoons.  You  could 
built  an  extra  gateway,  assemble 
dragoons,  upgrade  them,  and 
then  provide  shield  batteries  for 
them  in  the  same  amount  of 
time.  Knowing  the  relative  build- 
and  research  times,  costs,  firing 
rates,  and  necessary  upgrades  for 
these  two  units  would  point 
experienced  players  to  dragoons, 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


iputergaming.com 


I Logitech  I 


O'  F F I Cl  A 
NEWS  UPDATE 


The  First  Pro  Sports  League  for  the  Computer  Gaming  Crowd 


QUAKE  II 

: TOTAL 

i AEIJIHIIATIOIT 

IcayyDlf 

J'uiij 

I-i'y!iil<:iva!i 

f'-i-frauk 

?'i-kU3CD 

Rij-iian 

SlkkiiDyl 

uiiD'j'/iia'I 

: 

: B'OOgiisMaifii 

: SaitAeirj' 

: CWjpsif 

i HeiwJq; 

j JreL_yirjk 

1 MtodtoSss 

^^Lua^jUUUai"  ‘ r 

R^ijNanie:  Erl^  Cbarlebpjsv 
Arclinemesis;  none 
Prefenred  Weapons;  Rockett 

GOTtfollCTfeMduse.^^^ 


! ! ".y.  ws  - 

usaandi 


Bii;thplace;  Toroptm^'ajfl 
Ontario,,  Canartb  18^8^ 
Residence:  TorbMf0S^& 

Connection:  ^ 

GPU;speed:,e3^pih^ 

° Favorite  lie vei:  i 

. l^avoritei  Saying: 

■ ^gobbies: 


B g'r*!?pws? 

y-\ 

UReal!NBnie::'^^§^R|^^|l‘^'ll»^|^e: 
Archn^esisr 
Preferred! Weapons:,, 

Gbnnectibn 

Gontroiier:  MouspiariBt ''  CRUfSpe’ed:; 
beybpard  - - favorite  Uevei 

Whiplash,  Wafc'rajjfve'r . V,, 


sfe/Zj^yy^llki: . 


*il||a= 


1 [ j f ' ■ ^ Electronic 

Entertainment  Expo  (Es)  in  Atlanta, 
all  the  highlights  of  the  second  season  j 
finals  can  be  found  at  www.pgl.com.  . 
(Visit  www.pgl.com  for  all  the  demos  ” 
and  RealVideo  fpotage!)  ^ 

I amdzt  "!  . h 

^•Dvent^TpJ !■•.,. 

. wvw..pgl.coa: 


i WATO^^iiCOMiFOmd^^rONISHnD 

'\  * ^ /"f  TY.com,  the  nation’s  highest-rated  show 

■"•  dedicated  to  eontputers  and  the  

i Internet,  carries  a POL  highlight 
; segment  twice  per  month.  ; | 

% 1 7V.com  airs  on  over  120  broadcast  i 

c^t  television  stations  throughout  the 
U S Check  out  the  POL  Web  Site  at- 
E°  WWW  pgl.com  for  station  and  show  time 


t!  RfilDbotlcs 


%MGV  Memory 


am 


le  reglsteied  trademarks  and  aa  and  Ih 


111  be  subject  to  all  applicable  iedera 


ks  «f  Creative  Teclnrology  lU.  ATAT  WorINat  It  a t^sl 
iws.  The  Prolessloritl  Gamacs'  Uttve  reservat  the  rig 

Go  to  #086  @ www.computergaming.com/lntolink 


iht  PGL  lots  ire  tndamtrkj  of  PtoFtssisntl  Carnets'  l«e|ue.  TEH,  Total  Eirlestalnment  Netwoik,  Play  it  Otillne,  ttvl  the  TEN 
rnd  the  10  idio  an  trtdeitwks  of  Id  Software,  Inc,  Comttrand  A Conqmr  Is  a rtflsteteil  Iradamark  and  Red  Alert  It  a tradernadi  of  Westwood 
oi  jCOM  Corporatian  or  III  subsidiaries.  Oockera  and  Ore  Dockers  loco  design  ate  rcflsleted  ttadenarks  of  levi  Sliauu  A Co.  Ciealivt  Labs 
rk  ol  ATAT.  All  Other  logos,  ttsdemiika  and  tcgisleted  trademarks  ere  lha  property  ol  their  respective  owners.  The  Professional  Camera'  lesgua 
dlsciellDn,  to  modl^  this  conlast  In  any  manner  wlratioavar  Oncludlng,  but  not  limited  to  rules,  prires,  and  sUrt  dale)  as  well  as  Ihe  right 


The  afterelTccis  of'rhc  Philips  Digital  USB 
Q^SSSI^.  Speakers.  Not  your  average  PC  speakers. 
Wliether  its  the  DSS350  or  DSS370,  immerse  yourself  in  the  experience 
of  high  intensit)’  sound.  Peaturing  “Incredible  Surround” — 3D  digital  sound 
quality  and  “Hot  Plug  &C  Play”  for  easy  in.stallation.  Philips  Digital  USB 
speakers.  Its  not  only  sound  you  Gin  hear,  its  sound  you  can  Icel.  For  more 
info,  call  l-800-835'3506  or  visit  us  at  www.usbaudio.philips.com 

OI‘)98  fliilifv.  iUec[n>ni<3  NonI;  Aiitedci  l^t))oiaiion 


i PHILIPS 

LeUmhtiiiijgfbetlW 


Go  to  #140  @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink 


NOT  THE  RIGHT  UNIT  Bigger  doesn't  mean  better.  If  you're  facing  a rush  by 
mutalisks,  it's  more  efficient  and  faster  to  crank  out  dragoons  than  to  try  to 
advance  up  the  tedi  tree  to  get  expensive  carriers. 


rather  than  carriers,  for  mutalisk 
defense.  Know  your  units  and  what 
they  can  do  for  you.  but  aiso  reaiize 
what  they  can't  do  for  you,  even  if  they 
are  as  awesome  on  paper  as  are  the 
mighty  carrier. 

Think  About  Placement 

When  you  buiid  your  structures,  place- 
ment is  key.  Put  them  ciose  to  bunkers  or 
defensive  structures,  and  don't  put  them 
out  in  the  open,  on  the  outside  of  your 
defensive  parameter.  Build  your  defenses 
in  anticipation  of  where  your  enemy  will 
attack.  Think  about  where  your  units  wiil 
need  to  go  when  you  buiid  barracks  and 


factories.  Don’t  put  that  factory  behind 
your  command  center  if  you  want  to  move 
your  tanks  to  the  front  of  your  base.  When 
that  tank  pops  out,  it  wili  have  to  navi- 
gate SCVs  and  the  buildings  between  the 
factory  and  your  periphery  before  it  can 
get  to  where  you  need  it  to  go. 

None  of  these  tips  stands  alone.  Only 
by  using  all  of  them  together  can  you 
form  a winning  strategy.  Remember  to 
constantly  weigh  whether  your  current 
strategy  will  help  or  hurt  you  in  both  the 
short  and  long  run.  Lastly,  it  always  helps 
to  think  like  your  enemy  and  try  to  see 
what  he  wili  or  will  not  do.  Only  by  antic- 
ipating him  can  you  outsmart  him. 


Rushing;  For  and  Against 


i'  ve  been  on  the  receiving  end  of 
numerous  rushes  in  multiplayer 
games,  and  as  many  of  you 
know,  it's  the  most  humiliating 
and  frustrating  way  to  lose. 
Rushes  suck.  But  if  you  know 
how  counter  them,  they're  not  so 
bad.  Here  are  specific  hints  for 
countering  some  of  STARCRAFT's  most 
common  rushes. 


The  Nitty  Gritty 

To  set  the  record  straight,  rushes  are 
basically  an  attack  with  a single  low- 
level  unit  type,  such  as  a marine  or  zer- 
gting,  which  is  done  so  early  in  the  game 
that  it  is  difficult  to  defend  against.  (And 


BASE  INSTINCT  Good  base  defense 
is  essential  for  stopping  those  early 
rushes.  Put  bunkers  or  shield  batter* 
ies  at  bottlenecks  into  your  town. 


remember,  it  might  suck  to  be  beaten  by 
a horde  of  any  single  unit  type,  but 
you've  had  enough  time  to  build  up 


www.computergaming.com  COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  1 998 

Go  to  #197  @ VVWW.computergaming.com/infollnk 


ww^Agodr-;!! 


GmESTORM 


r,OI>/lll.Ai.il. 


OPIIMIZEDFOR 
3D  ACCELERATOR 
CAROS 


Interactive  Magic" 

RO.  Box  13491 

Research  Triangle  Park,  NC  27709 


UltiaFighicrs  is  a trademark  and  Interactive  Magic  1$  a registered  iradcn 
Interactive  Magic,  IrK.CCopyrlght  1998  Eagle  Interactive.  All  Rights  Res 


Goto#188  @ www.computergaming.com/lnfollnk 


STARCRAFT 


Zerg  Hot-keys 

Command  Hot-keys 

All  Zerg  ground  units  except 
Ultralisk 

U = burrow/unburrow 

Drone 
G gather 

B = morph  into  basic  structure 

V = morph  into  advanced  structure 

Queen 

1 = infest  Teiran  command  center 
R = cast  parasite 
B = spawn  broodling 
E = ensnare 

Defiler 

W = cast  dark  swarm 
G = plague 
C = consume 

Overlord 
U s unload  troops 

Building  Hot-keys 

These  are  the  hot-keys  for  morph- 
ing drones  into  standard  buildings. 

K = hatchery 
C = creep  colony 
E = extractor 
S - spawning  pool 

V = evolution  chamber 
D = hydralisk  den 

These  are  the  hot-keys  for  the 
advanced  buildings. 

S = spire 
Q = queen's  nest 
N = nydus  canal 
U = ultralisk  cavern 
D = defiler  mound 

Here  are  hot-keys  for  morphing 
additional  buildings. 

Creep  colony 
S - morph  from  aeep 
to  spore  colony 
U = morph  from  creep 
to  sunken  colony 

Hatchery 
L=  morph  into  lair 
H = morph  lair  into  hive 

Spire 

G = morph  into  greater  spire 
Nydus  Canal 

N = place  exit  for  nydus  canal 


www.cDmputergatning.com 


defenses,  so  you  can't  call  your  enemy's 
attack  a "cheap  rush.")  To  counter  a 
rush,  you  first  need  to  learn  how  to  per- 
form a rush. 

There  are  some  general  strategies  to 
consider  when  rushing,  no  matter  which 
unit  you  use.  First,  build  multiple  unit- 
producing  buildings,  which  means  three 
to  four  barracks  for  the  Terran  or  two  to 
three  gateways  for  the  Protoss  or  two 
hatcheries  for  the  Zerg. 

Second,  commit  yourself  to  the  rush. 
Nothing  is  more  pathetic  than  a rusher 
who  can't  finish  the  deed.  The  point  is, 
rush  to  win,  not  to  annoy.  Go  for  the 
jugular.  When  you  rush  a town,  bypass 
all  defenses  and  go  for  enemy  workers. 
Kill  them  all  so  you  halt  production  and 
resource  gathering.  Then,  eliminate  the 
defenses  and  unit-producing  buildings. 

Third,  when  rushing  with  the  zealot, 
marine,  or  zergling,  do  not  bother  to 
mine  gas.  Use  the  money  you  save  from 
not  building  a refinery  to  build  an  extra 
barracks,  and  use  the  peons  who  would 
have  gathered  gas  to  gather  minerals. 


How  to  Defend 

Build  your  base  in  anticipation  of  a 
rush.  That  means  clustering  together 
your  defenses  and  building  your  struc- 
tures so  that  your  defensive  net  can 
cover  all  your  buildings.  Also,  because 
rushers  will  go  for  workers,  place  de- 
fenses around  your  resource  patches. 

Keep  in  mind  that  defensive  build- 
ings can  do  only  so  much.  Do  rtof  rely 
on  towers  to  beat  a rush.  You  need 
units  to  back  up  your  cannons,  sunken 
colonies,  and  bunkers.  Also,  remember 
that  tower  buildings  are  surprisingly 
weak  unless  they  are  built  in  multiples 
of  three.  And  considering  how  much 
they  cost  (and  the  time  you  need  to 
spend  on  building  the  prerequisite 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


A 


H I [ II S. 

vvww.aliensonline.com 


GAMEST^cim 

6iiiiK»Stnrtn'“  is  a trofipduikof  und  Kcsniai"  is  d i<2cjisi(;rt]d  (radDiiiark 
of  Ki.-siiiai  Coii<otation,  Alloiis'"  ■ind  "j  1'J06.  199'/  Twentlolli  Cuntury 
I'ox  riliTiC.tjrpordlion.All  riytns  rcswvud. 

KE3MAI  MYTHIC" 

STUDIOS' 


Go  to  #197@  www.comDuterqamina.com/infolink 


|«vidia| 


rfce’'.F«-e'el b ac k support 
li,  - 

_’j  "|  ..  • jS  Di  :,sp^jti!al  ized  £ 


fi giHting  ;'FX 


STARCRAFT 


building  first),  it’s  often  better  to  go 
with  units  for  early  defense. 

Build  as  if  you  were  going  to  rush,  so 
that  you  have  enough  troops  to  defend 
against  one.  That  means:  Produce  the 
same  number  of  barracks  or  gateways 
your  enemy  does,  in  order  to  achieve 
parity  of  numbers.  Delay  building  your 
refinery  and  gathering  gas  until  you 
have  adequate  defensive  units. 

If  you  are  rushed,  make  the  enemy 
pay.  If  you  thwart  a rush  and  kill  all  the 
invaders,  mount  a counteroffensive  with 
your  own  units.  Pop  those  marines  out 
of  your  bunker,  recharge  your  zealots' 
shields,  and  exact  revenge.  Usually,  a 
rusher  who  fails  in  his  rush  is  wide-open 
to  attack.  He  has  no  defenses,  and  he 
has  thrown  away  all  his  troops.  If  you 
don't  exploit  your  enemy's  momentary 
weakness,  expect  to  get  rushed  again. 

Now,  let's  move  on  to  specific  rushes. 

Zergling  Rush 

In  order  to  counter  the  zergling  rush, 
you  have  to  build  quickly.  There  are  two 
possible  types  of  zergling  rushes.  The 
first  occurs  when  the  enemy  comes  at 
you  with  his  first  six  zerglings  (which 
could  be  three  minutes  into  the  game, 
just  after  he  finishes  his  spawning 
pool).  The  second  type  of  zergling  rush 
comes  two  to  three  minutes  after  that, 
when  the  enemy  comes  in  with  12-18 
zerglings. 

Terran  players  should  build  a bunker 
after  their  first  barracks,  before  they  start 
on  their  second  barracks.  If  the  first  six 
zerglings  come,  you  might  have  only  two 
or  three  marines  in  your  bunker,  but  they 
should  make  short  work  of  the  zerglings, 
After  that,  place  two  or  three  bunkers 
(and  marines)  close  to  your  vital  build- 
ings. Those  will  thwart  any  zergling  rush. 

Protoss  players  should  build  two 
gateways  and  pump  out  zealots  until 


Unit  Hot-keys 

For  morphing  larvae  into  units 
D s morph  into  drone 
Z s zergling 

0 B overlord 
H s hydralisk 
M = mutalisk 
S = scourge 
Q =:  queen 

U = uttralisk 
F = defiler 

For  mutalisk 
G = morph  into  guardian 

At  the  Infested  Terran  command 
center 

1 = build  infested  Terran 

Research  hot-keys 

At  hatchery 
U = research  burrow 

At  lair 

V s research  ventral  sacs  (trans* 
port  capability  for  overlords) 

A s research  antennae  (overlord 
sight  upgrade) 

P = pneumatized  carapace  (over* 
lord  speed  upgrade) 

At  spawning  pool 
M = metabolic  boost  (zergling 
speed  upgrade) 

A s adrenal  glands  (attack  speed 
upgrade  for  zerglings) 

At  hydralisk  den 
M = muscular  augments  (hydralisk 
speed  upgrade) 

G = grooved  spines  (attack  range 
upgrade) 

At  evolution  chamber 
M = upgrade  ground  melee 
attacks 

A = upgrade  ground  missile 
attacks 

C = upgrade  ground  carapace 
(armor) 

At  spire 

A = upgrade  flyer  attack 
C = upgrade  flyer  carapace 

At  queen's  nest 
B = research  spawn  broodling 
E s research  ensnare 
G = research  gamete  meiosis  (+50 
queen  energy) 

At  defiler  mound 
G = research  plague 
C s research  consume 
M = research  metasynaptic  node 
(+50  defiler  energy) 


www.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1 998 


Go  to  #197  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


www.troopersonline.coi : ■ 


gamesWrm. 


is  .1  trjdeinafk  of  and  Kesmat*  is.i  registstud  iraifemarkof  Kesnia 
Coipoiiition.StorsKipIToc^rsiBatdRSFMWTradi’iTiafknndCopyilpiil  l'WiiT,!Sla 
Piciuros  Inc. and  used  ontlor  ticeme  by  Kesm.ii  ARIES  Ltd.  Alt  rights  reserved. 


Sony  Online  KESMAI  MYTHIC" 

Entertainment  s t o o i o s-  entiktainmeht 


Nothing  Else  Eveh^  Comes  Close 


so  billion  operations  per  second.  3 miliion  triangles  per  second.  Up  to  1 2MB  of  ultra-fast,  single-cycle  DRAM. 
Two  independent,  on-board  texture  processors  for  single-pass  trilinear  filtering.  Full  triangle  set-up  processing. 
LOD  MIP-mapping. Texture  compositing,  morphing  and  other  complex  effects.  High-precision  Z-buffering. 
True  perspective  correction  with  sub-pixel  and  sub-texel  accuracy.  As  much  as  3 times  the  performance  of 


the  previous  generation  of  Voodoo-based  accelerators.  koOW  yOU  WaPt  000. 

Get  it  now  at  your  Favorite  retailer.  Or  visit  us  at  www.soundblaster.com/voodoo2  for  more  info. 


CREATIVE 

WWW.SaUNDBLASTER.GDM 


Go  to  #070  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 

ID1998  Creative  Technology  Ltd.  All  other  brand  or  product  names  listed  are  trademarks  or  registered  trademarks  and  are  property  of  their  respective  holders. 


STARCRAFT 


the  zergling  rush  stops.  Remember  that 
photon  cannons  are  useless  against  zer- 
glings.  Whether  you're  playing  Terran  or 
Protoss,  send  one  unit  to  scout  the  rush- 
er's base  after  that  initial  zergling  rush 
(or  before  the  swarm),  to  see  if  you  still 
need  to  build  bunkers  or  more  zealots, 
or  if  you  have  breathing  room  to  now 
go  for  the  gas  gathering  and  higher-end 
units.  If  you  beat  the  first  zergling  rush, 
you  probably  won't  have  to  worry  about 
further  rushes. 


Zealot  Rush 

If  you  send  your  scout  to  the  Protoss 
base  and  he  sees  multiple  gateways  and 
lots  of  zealots,  then  you  can  guess  that  a 
zealot  rush  is  likely. 

Terran  players  need  to  set  up  three  to 
four  bunkers  full  of  marines  and  only 
then  start  gathering  gas  for  an  academy 
and  firebats.  You  might  be  tempted  to 
build  siege  tanks  or  spider  mines,  but 
you  can  get  firebats  faster.  Research 
marine  range  and  stimpack  at  the  acade- 
my to  boost  your  infantry's  fire 
power. 

Zealot  rushes  don't  come  as 
quick  as  zergling  rushes,  so  you 
have  a little  more  time  to  pre- 
pare. If  you  get  breathing  room, 
go  for  vultures  and  spider  mines. 
If  the  rush  comes  later,  and  you 
have  time  to  build  tanks  and 
research  siege  mode,  place  the 
tanks  in  siege  mode  behind  your 
bunkers. 

Zerg  players  need  to  crank  out 
zerglings  for  defense.  Don't  rely 
solely  on  sunken  colonies,  though 
two  or  three  could  help  you.  If 
you  have  time,  go  for  hydras  to 
supplement  your  defenses. 


Hydraiisk  Rush 

If  your  scouting  mission  finds 
swarms  of  hydralisks  near  the 
Zerg  base,  watch  out.  The 
hydraiisk  rush  could  be  coming. 
As  Terran,  you  have  to  build  up 
to  factories  and  machine  shops 
quickly.  Then,  research  spider 
mines  and  siege  mode.  Lay 
mines  near  your  town  entrance 
to  take  out  hydras,  and  place 
tanks  in  siege  mode  behind  your 
bunkers:  their  splash  damage 
will  take  out  groups  of  hydras. 

Protoss  players  need  to  get 
reavers  quickly.  The  reaver  fires 
bomblike  scarabs  that  do  splash 
damage,  destroying  clusters  of 
hydralisks  even  faster  than  siege 
tanks  in  siege  mode.  You  need  to 
go  straight  for  the  robotics  facili- 
ty, where  reavers  are  produced, 
and  then  the  robotics  support 
bay,  enabling  their  production. 

Or  you  could  acquire  high  tem- 
plars and  their  psionic  storm 
special  ability;  a lightning  storm 
of  death  over  an  area  also  kills 
groups  of  hydralisks.  But  it's 


www.compulergaming.com 

Go  to  #197 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  199B 
www.computergaming.com/infolink 


w w w.j  a ck  n ic  ko  n I i n e tou  r.co  r ■ ■. 


CAMESmRM. 

: ' '..us  i'.<  recii5li'ii'Cln<«3t!ni;iikofGoWcr’“W'irrti....''  • 

1 . . '■.i„,\cr.olade  la. . sC-r-.-VItitihSsfi'w.-,': 

AGDowa:-' 


MAGiX  music  maker 
OeLuxe 

- the  legendary,  never-ending  win- 
ner. Create  your  own  music  and 
video  clip  with  1600  sound,  video 
and  graphic  files. 


- the  future  of  music  starts  now. 

Live  Act  transforms  your  PC  into  a 
completely  new  and  pulsating  live 
instrument  with  three  levels  of 
audiovisual  performance  and  more 
than  700  music  and  video  flies. 


MAGIX  music  slsudio 

- the  professional  tool  that  turns  a PC 
into  your  home  studio.  High  perfor- 
mance sequencer  with  128  MIDI- 
and  8 audio  tracks,  8-track  hard  disk 
recording  with  numerous  effects  and 
editing  functions. 


SSvailabie"^^ 


and  other  fine  retailers 


Go  to  #078  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 

hJain  the  MAGIX  music  network  hit^p  ://www«  magix . not: 

MA6IX  Entertainment  Carp.,  <489  Santa  Monica  Blvd.  #‘180,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90401 

Call  toll-free:  n -888-866-2449 


STARCRAFT 


almost  always  faster  to  get  to  reavers 
than  to  get  psionic  storm.  So  go  for 
psionic  storm  only  if  you  have  time  and 
are  wary  of  a mutalisk  rush  as  well. 

Zerg  players  can  best  counter  hydra- 
llsk  rushes  with  the  queen's  ensnare  abil- 
ity. Casting  that  on  a group  of  hydralisks 
slows  their  attack,  making  them  vulnera- 
ble to  your  own  hydralisks. 

Mutalisk  Rush 

The  other  Zerg  rush  that  is  extremely 
deadly  is  the  mutalisk  rush. 

For  Protoss  players,  the  two  keys  are 
shield  batteries  and  psionic  storm.  Place 
one  shield  battery  and  two  to  four  dra- 
goons near  where  mutalisks  might 
attack.  Unlike  cannons,  dragoons  can 
recharge  their  shields  near  shield  batter- 
ies, greatly  extending  their  life  versus 
mutalisk  attacks.  Supplement  this 
defense  with  high  templars  and  psionic 
storm,  Mutalisks  attack  in  tight  clusters, 
and  one  psionic  storm  can  kill  or  serious- 
ly damage  them.  The  only  problem  here 
is  that  if  you  build  a lot  of  dragoons  in 
anticipation  of  a mutalisk  rush,  you  leave 


yourself  extremely  vulnerable  to  a hydra- 
lisk  rush.  Scout  the  Zerg  early  with  a 
probe  or  a zealot,  and  adopt  the  appro- 
priate strategy  based  on  what  you  see, 

As  a Terran  player,  you  have  many 
more  options.  Goliaths  are  good  antiair 
units,  but  they  do  only  half  damage  to 
mutalisks.  Marines  are  more  effective.  If 
you  suspect  a mutalisk  rush,  build  an 
extra  barracks  or  two,  crank  out 
marines,  and  research  the  range  and 
stimpack  upgrades.  Using  stimpacks, 
marines  can  shoot  down  mutalisks  twice 
as  quickly.  It  is  vital  to  research  the 
armor  upgrade  for  marines  as  well,  so 
you  can  survive  the  mutalisk's  secondary 
and  tertiary  glave  wurm  attack.  You  can 
also  place  your  marines  in  bunkers,  so 
they  can  shoot  back  without  taking 
damage.  However,  keep  in  mind  that 
bunkered  marines  cannot  use  the  stim- 
pack, One  other  advantage  of  bunkers  is 
that  it  makes  marines  immune  to  the 
effects  of  ensnare,  which  Zerg  players 
will  often  use  in  conjunction  with 
mutalisk  rushes.  You  can  also  build  a 
few  missile  turrets  to  back  up  your 

marines.  These  turrets  are  more 
effective  against  mutalisks 
than  the  Protoss  tower  (and 
they  can  be  repaired). 

If  the  mutalisk  rush  occurs 
later  in  the  game,  you  should 
use  the  science  vessel's  Irradi- 
ate ability.  It  will  quickly  drain 
a mutalisk  of  all  hit  points  and 
damage  any  nearby  targets. 
Since  mutalisks  bunch  together 
in  packs,  this  ability  is  very 
deadly.  Cloaked  wraiths  also 
work  well,  although  Zerg  play- 
ers will  often  have  cloak- 
detecting overlords  to  see  your 
hidden  ships.  In  that  case, 
shoot  down  the  overlords 
quickly  and  then  take  on  the 
mutalisks  with  impunity. 

There  are  other  rushes,  but 
none  are  as  deadly  or  as  com- 
mon as  these  four.  As  with  all 
things,  you  will  get  better 
with  practice.  Remember  to 
think  ahead  and  scout  con- 
stantly. STARCRAFT  is  an 
unforgiving  game,  and  the 
gamers  you'll  meet  on 
battle.net  are  even  nastier. 

But  with  perseverance  and 
experimentation,  you  will  get 
better.  MVJ 


CAMESTORM. 


.iis.’ivais!ert;!  ti.^d.-nvciUofK^sni.i.i'.on'Cfaroii 


iv.computergaming.com 

Go  to  #197 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  • AUGUST  1998 
( www.computergaming.com/infolink 


Army  Men 

Reduce  Your  Enemies  to  Polymer  Slag 


by  Sgt.  Terry  "Petroleum  Product"  Coleman 


"It's  not  easy 
being  green'' 

-General  Kermit,  at  the  Third 
Battle  of  the  Lily  Pond 

In  your  struggle  against  the  insid- 
ious forces  of  Tan,  Gray,  and 
Blue,  you  may  meet  with  more 
than  your  share  of  setbacks. 
Fortunately,  we  have  some  of  the 
finest  military  geniuses  to  ever 
set  foot  in  a sandbox  on  our 
side,  and  they’ve  authorized  me 
to  let  you  in  on  the  latest  classified 
info  in  modern  military  ops.  Use  this 
data  wisely,  soldier:  There  are  a lot  of 
little  green  men  depending  on  you, 

The  following  are  some  general  tips 
for  success  in  ARMY  MEN,  along  with 


an  analysis  of  the  vehicles  in  the 
game.  If  these  don't  help  enough  with 
your  campaign,  check  out  the  cheat 
codes  sidebar.  Look  for  our  full  review 
on  ARMY  MEN  in  next  month's  issue 

of  cm. 

• While  ARMY  MEN  supposedly 
supports  DirectXS  and  beyond,  you 
risk  crashes  if  you  have  only  DirectX 
5.0.  So,  for  your  sanity,  let  the  game 
install  DirectX  5.1. 

• Don't  Alt-Tab,  under  any  circum- 
stances. You  will  crash  and/or  lock  up 
immediately.  Setting  Alt  as  a custom 
hot-key  isn't  a good  idea,  either. 

• The  bizarre  mouse/key-combo 
interface  is  the  weakest  part  of  the 
game.  To  partially  get  around  this 
drawback,  use  a joystick.  Keep  in  mind 
that  your  default  controls  might  sud- 
denly reset  in  the  middle 
of  battle,  so  keep  a bottle 
of  aspirin  handy. 

• Although  the  game  is 
in  real-time,  don't  play  at 
teenage  reflex  speed  just 
because  you  can.  It's  often 
better  to  let  the  enemy 
come  to  you, 

• When  you  get  a mor- 
tar, keep  in  mind  that  it's 
an  indirect  fire  weapon; 
you  don't  have  to  see  the 
enemy  to  affect  him.  Use 

a pattern  of 
mortar  fire  (par- 
ticularly into 
trees)  to  panic 
and  flush  ene- 
mies into  your 
field  of  fire.  This 
works  especially 
well  against  the 
cowardly  Blue 
soldiers. 

• Protect  your 
minesweeper  at 
all  costs.  He'll 
save  you  a cou- 
ple of  Joes  and 
Jeeps,  and  possi- 
bly even  a half- 
track. S3I7 


Cheat  Codes 

Aeroballistics 

Adds  full  air  support 

Invulnerable 

Makes  Sarge  indestructible 

Occuitation 

Stealth  mode  (Sarge  won't 
be  spotted  unless  he  shoots) 

Omniscient 

Toggles  between  normal 
soldier  view  and  omniscient 
view  of  all  troops 

Paralysis 

Pins  foes  in  place 

Plethora 

Fills  you  up  on  ammo 

Pyromanfer 

Toggles  right  button  explosion 

Triumph 

Wins  the  scenario  outright 

Cargo  Truck 

Can  vou  sav  sittina  * 


Can  you  say  sitting 
duck?  Unless  time  is  of 
the  essence,  don’t  risk  ^ ' 

putting  your  entire  force  into 
this  firetrap;  the  only  exception  would  be  if  you  had  air 
recon,  and  knew  almost  exactly  where  the  enemy  forces 
were  located.  One  of  my  favorite  tricks  is  to  send  a lone 
truck  (with  no  more  than  one  soldier)  along  a probable 
ambush  route  to  draw  enemy  fire;  I then  rain  destruction 
down  upon  them  from  above  vrith  mortars. 

Half-Track 

In  ARMY  MEN,  the  half-track  is  what  the  Jeep  wants  to  be 
when  it  grows  up.  While  ® 
the  half-track  obviously  * 

lacks  the  immense  firepow- 
er of  the  tank.  It  does 
sport  an  effective  ' 

machine  gun  and 
plenty  of  armor  to  '' 

withstand  most  foes.  I generally 
spot  the  enemy  with  the  Jeep,  then  run  away,  moving 
slowly  enough  to  take  enemy  foot  soldiers  with  me.  When 
they  run  into  my  half-track,  it's  easy  to  catch  the  pursuers 
in  a crossfire. 


Jeep 


■;»»* 

\'\  lll>^ 


If  you  yearn  for  a Bradley  or  some  other 
vehicle,  find  another  game!  The 
jeep  is  the  classic  do-  . 

everything  transporta- 
tion for  your  back- 
yard battle.  With 
more  speed  than  a 
tank,  it  has  the  ability 
to  traverse  rugged  terrain 

(like  rocky  patches)  and  makes  the  perfect  recon  vehicle. 
The  danger  of  the  jeep  is  that,  despite  what  the  rules  tell 
you,  the  armor  won't  shield  you  much  from  enemy  fire — 
particularly  mortars,  where  the  lack  of  a canopy  will  melt 
your  soldiers  in  a hurry.  Don't  get  seduced  by  the  Jeep's 
machine  gun  mount,  either;  If  you  stand  to  fight  and  then 
meet  up  with  anything  more  than  a couple  of  enemies 
with  popguns,  you'll  be  back  in  that  cardboard  box  before 
you  can  say  "fresh  plastic  mold.” 

Tank 

Appropriately  for  the  toy  battlefield,  the  tank  lades  speed. 
On  the  other  hand,  it's  virtually 
immune  to  small-arms  fire 
and  mortars.  Slugging 
it  out  toe-to-toe 
with  a tank  *7^ 
armed  with  a 
half-track  isn't 
bravery;  it's  suicide. 

But  the  battleship  of  the  sandbox  has  one  weakness:  The 
tank's  treads,  although  plastic,  resemble  those  of  real-life 
armor  in  their  susceptibility  to  both  bazookas  and  flame- 
throwers. Remember  to  kneel  when  you  take  aim  at  a 
tank,  and  make  that  first  shot  count!  It's  doubtful  you'll 
get  another  if  you  miss.... 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


/.compulergaming.c 


KESMAI 


Forget  the  box. 

Forget  limits.  Forget  small. 

The  future  of  games  is  online. 
Massive.  Random.  Forever  changing. 
Populated  by  thousands. 

Real  people.  Real  battles.  Real  adventures. 
This  is  GameStorm. 


CAMESrORM 


www.gamestornn.com 

The  best  massively  multiplayer  games. 

Virtually  any  networkable  CD-ROM  game. 
Award-winning  editorial  content. 

Thriving  player  communities. 

All  in  one  package, for  one  price.  Unlimited  play. 

$9.95  monthly.  First  month  FREE! 

.•  A!;:rGd  g-'- : 

■ 1 Po;-‘ 

any  networ-  ■ 

Go  to  #1 97  @ www.coniputergainIng.com/infollnk 

GameSiotm'"  is  a trademark  of  and  Kesmai*  is  a registered  trademark  of  Kesniai  Corporation.  ENGAGE  games  online’”  is  a service  mark  of 
Games  On-line.  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.  SegaSoft”^,  HEAT™  and  HEAT.NEr'*  are  trademarks  of  SegaSoft  Networks,  IncGameSpot™  is  a 
trademark  of  GameSpot  inc.Atf  other  trademarks,  registrations,  and  copyrights  are  properties  of  their  respective  holders. 


FIFA  Road  to  Worid  Cup  98 

Winning  Strategies  for  Conquering  the  World's  Best  Soccer  Teams 


M ■■■J  - 

. ■ ■ . .V 

■? 

NOSEBLEED  SEATS  With  the  F8  view,  you  lose  some  player 
detail,  but  you  can  see  the  opposing  side's  formations 
develop,  which  is  key  to  exploiting  their  weaknesses. 

by  JoeVallina 

iercely  competitive  and 
challenging,  FIFA  ROAD 
TO  WORLD  CUP  98  is  the 
best  PC  soccer  game  to 
date.  There's  nothing 
quite  like  playing  your 
favorite  team  and  taking 
them  all  the  way  to  the 
Worid  Cup  championship  game, 
and  FIFA  98  gives  you  an 
unprecedented  choice  of  players, 
teams,  and  game  options  with 
which  to  do  so.  If,  however,  you're 
planning  on  getting  to  the  final 
round  on  the  Professional  or — 
God  forbid — World  Class  level,  it's 
going  to  take  some  special  skills 
not  outlined  in  the  game's  manu- 
al. At  this  level  of  competition,  it's 
not  enough  simply  to  be  able  to 
sprint  and  slide  tackle.  No,  to  turn 
your  team  into  world  champions, 
you've  got  to  know  how  to  fake 
out  your  defender  with  a 360- 
degree  spin  move,  execute  a lob 


See  the  Review 

JUNE  ISSUE  • 4.5  STARS 


kick  to  center,  and  put  the  ball 
away  with  a backward-facing  heel 
kick — all  while  11  vicious  enemy 
players  are  gunning  to  stop  you. 

Take  the  Wide  Angle 

FIFA  98  offers  a wide  variety  of 
views  and  camera  angles,  but,  for 
my  money,  the  F8  overhead  view 
is  the  best.  This  view  lets  you  see 
almost  the  entire  pitch,  and  that 
makes  it  much  easier  to  set  up 
crosses  and  downfield  passes.  You 
can  also  more  readily  spot  holes 
in  the  opposing  half's  defense. 

Practice,  Practice, 
Practice 

The  Training  area  in  FIFA  98  is  a 
very  useful  feature,  There  are  few 
things  more  beneficial  than  being 
able  to  take  your  team  to  the 
training  field  and  practice  your 
moves  without  having  to  worry 
about  being  tackled  at  every  turn. 
Begin  your  practice  session  with 
no  defenders.  Practice  executing 
your  moves,  and  combinations  of 
moves,  until  you  can  do  them 
with  ease.  Then,  add  a defensive 


player  and  try  those  moves 
against  him.  When  you  feel  like 
you're  getting  it,  up  the  diffi- 
culty level  to  World  Class,  and 
practice  some  more.  Keep 
adding  defenders  and  upping 
the  difficulty  until  you're  confi- 
dent with  your  performance. 

Special  Moves 

FIFA  98  has  a myriad  of  pos- 
sible moves  and  kick  combos. 
I've  found,  though,  that  it's 
better  to  learn  a few  moves 
really  well  than  to  try  to  use 
every  trick  in  the  book.  While 
you're  looking  for  that  special 
combo,  the  opposing  side  will 


You're 
the  Boss 

Many  FIFA  98  players  make 
the  mistake  of  ignoring 
the  team  management 
aspects  of  the  game.  This  is  actually 
one  of  the  game's  strongest  points, 
but  it  must  be  used  effectively. 

One  thing  I like  to  do,  especially 
in  the  beginning  of  a game,  is 
change  my  team's  formation  to 
four  backfielders,  one  midfielder, 
and  five  forwards.  This  ensures  that 
I always  have  men  around  the  goal, 
and  since  the  computer  rarely,  if 
ever,  plays  five  guys  back,  I always 


have  stolen  the  ball  and  gotten 
halfway  to  the  goal. 

The  first  things  you  should 
practice  are  your  player's  spe- 
cial moves,  such  as  the  walk- 
around,  the  360-degree  spin. 


have  an  open  man  to  cross  to.  I 
keep  my  back  four  in  a sweeper 
formation  to  protect  my  goat  from 
inside  threats,  and  spread  the  front 
five  out  in  a flat  formation  to  thin 
out  the  other  team's  defense.  Of 
course,  the  big  risk 


in  this  strategy  is 
that  the  other 
team  will  clear  the 
ball  into  your  goal 
area;  die  solution 
is  to  set  your  strat- 
egy slider  a little 
toward  the  conser- 
vative side  in  order 
to  prevent  your 
back  guys  from 
coming  too  far  for- 
ward, leaving  an 
open  goal. 

Due  to  the  ATs 
catdi-up  logic,  it's 
very  important  to 
play  a more  con- 
servative-style 
game  if  you  have 
the  lead  going  into 
the  second  half. 

The  computer 
seems  to  always 
find  a way  to  make 
that  "miraculous" 
shot  (usually  a 
header  off  a free 
kick),  so  play  back 
and  take  it  easy 
with  the  X key. 


ik  COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  199B 


i'.computerganiing.t 


1 

" V/v'  j .rt 

, t 

■ 

SPIN  ACTION  Use  the  shift  keys  on  your  gamepad  to  add  spin 
to  the  bail  In  dead-ball  situations  like  this  corner  kick. 

and  even  the  basic  jump.  Actually, 
we'll  start  with  that. 

To  be  successful  in  FIFA  98  it's 
essential  to  be  able  to  properly 
jump  over  intended  slide  tackles. 
At  the  higher  difficulty  levels,  the 
Al  is  ruthless  in  its  slide-tackling 
ability,  and  if  you  can't  avoid  the 
tackle,  you're  dead.  Practice  with 
one  attacker  and  one  defender  on 
the  practice  pitch.  Dribble  the  ball 
into  the  defenders'  side  until  he 
comes  up  to  tackle  you.  As  he 
begins  his  lunge,  press  the  Z but- 
ton, without  breaking  stride,  to 
jump  over  the  defender's  tackle. 

Another  move  that  works  par- 
ticularly well  is  the  360-degree 
spin  move  into  a shot  on  goal.  To 
do  this,  hold  the  right  shift  button 
on  your  controller,  while  tapping 
the  Y button  for  the  spin,  then 
immediately  slide  your  finger  over 
to  press  the  C button  as  you 


release  the  shift.  Practice  this  until 
you  can  do  it  without  breaking 
stride.  This  move  is  especially 
effective  when  you  are 
surrounded  by  oppos- 
ing players  close  to  the 
goal.  The  spin  will  often 
throw  the  defender  off 
just  long  enough  for 
you  to  shoot. 

The  walk-around 
move  {hold  the  shift 
button  while  holding  X) 
is  when  your  player 
steps  around  the  mov- 
ing ball  without  touch- 
ing it.  This  move  accom- 
plishes two  things:  It 
keeps  the  defender 
from  knowing  which 
way  your  player  is 
going  to  pass  the  ball, 
and  it  usually  keeps  the 
defender  from  trying 


the  tackle.  Use  the  walk-around  in 
combination  with  a forward  cross- 
ing pass. 

Whether  they  be  corner  kicks, 
free  kicks,  or  penalty  kicks,  dead- 
ball  situations  are  crucial  in  tight 
games.  You  can  practice  each  of 
them  in  the  training  area.  As  with 
the  other  moves  in  FIFA  98,  dead- 
ball  kicks  can  be  manipulated 
using  the  shift  buttons  on  your 
gamepad.  When  it's  time  to  kick, 
the  red  arrow  will  come  up,  show- 
ing the  direction,  height,  and  dis- 
tance of  the  kick.  What  many 
gamers  overlook,  however,  is  that 
by  using  the  shift  buttons  you  can 
manipulate  the  spin  on  the  bail  to 
make  it  curve  while  it's  in  the  air. 
Logically,  the  left  shift  button 
makes  the  ball  veer  left,  and  vice- 
versa.  Experiment  with  different 


angles  and  spins  to  find  which 
work  best  with  your  formations.  If 
done  correctly,  you  can  curve  the 
ball  directly  to  one  of  your  players 
near  the  net  for  an  easy  header- 
on-goal  (immediately  hold  the  C 
button  as  you  aim  for  the  goal 
while  the  ball  is  still  in  the  air). 

On  higher  difficulty  levels, 
don't  hesitate  to  use  the  X key. 
Your  opponents  won't.  Most 
times,  you  can  get  away  with  a 
well-placed  elbow  (double-tap  X 
when  you're  on  defense).  The 
spikes-up  slide  tackle,  while  effec- 
tive, is  a little  more  risky. 

I should  note  that  most  of  the 
strategies  outlined  here  will  also 
work  for  EA's  newest  soccer  game, 
WORLD  CUP  98.  So  lace  up  your 
boots,  hit  the  pitch,  and  win  one 
for  your  country!  S32] 


GOOOOOOAL!  Add  yourself  to  the  roster,  and  you  can  score  the  winning 
goal  in  a World  Cup  game.  How  did  the  Spanish  ever  get  along  without  me? 


The  Right  Team) 


While  it  might  be  exciting 
to  try  to  go  all  the  way 
with  your  sentimental 
favorite,  the  Burkina  Faso  national 
team  (after  all,  wasn’t  grandpa  from 
there?),  you'll  really  have  your  work  cut 
out  for  you  against  the  big  boys  like 
England  and  Brazil  on  FIFA  98's  higher 
difficulty  levels.  Even  if  your  game 
skills  are  perfect,  you  can  control  only 
one  player  on  the  team  at  any  moment. 


and  if  your  compute^controlled  team- 
mates couldn't  win  a schoolyard  pickup 
match,  you're  toast.  Also,  because  the 
computer  takes  into  account  individual 
players'  agility,  speed,  shot  power,  and 
the  like,  just  because  you  hit  the  right 
key  combination  for  that  incredible 
shot,  doesn't  mean  that  your  player  can 
pull  it  off.  So,  if  you  want  to  have  a real 
chance  at  going  all  the  way,  you  need 
to  play  one  of  the  standard  World  Cup 


contenders:  Brazil,  Italy,  Argentina, 
England,  Germany,  or  Spain. 

While  you're  at  it,  be  sure  to  go  to 
the  Player  Edit  area  and  add  yourself  to 
the  roster.  Putting  your  mug  on  the 
pitch  is  a simple  matter  of  taking  an 
existing  player  on  the  team,  then 
changing  his  facial  and  hair  styles  (as 
well  as  his  skin  and  hair  color).  You  can 
change  his  number,  too,  should  you  so 
choose.  There's  no  better  feeling  than 
seeing  your  own  name  listed  as  a goal 
scorer  in  World  Cup  competition. 


v.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD*  JULY  1998 


CmBR'S  EDGE 


SEMPER  FI 

► Take  advantage  of  the  combined  arms  rule  in  SEMPER  FI.  Don't  send 
tanks  right  up  against  a city,  or  you'll  get  a rude  surprise  when  infantry 
close-assaults  your  armor.  Make  good  use  of  your  artillery  assets,  such  as 
onboard  mortars  or  off-board  artillery. 

► After  clicking  a unit,  stop.  Make  sure  the  selected  unit  is  a command 
unit  or  that  you  click  the  activate  company  button.  Otherwise,  you  only  get 
to  use  that  one  unit  during  the  current  phase. 


► Use  your  helicopters  aggressively.  Yes,  you  might  lose  a few  from  enemy 
fire,  but  your  choppers  are  too  effective  at  shooting  up  armor  for  you  to  be 
cautious  with  them.  They  run  out  of  ammo  relatively  quickly,  though,  so  choose 
targets  wisely — go  after  enemy  armor-command  platoons.  — Loyd  Case 


DRAGOON 


Leaders:  Plan  your  attack  so  the  corps  commander  with  the  highest  com- 
mand rating  delivers  the  crucial  moves  that  hour.  Usually,  your  overall  com- 
mander will  be  first  candidate  for  activation,  so  defer  his  selection  until 
later.  That  way,  if  the  critical  corps  commander  fails  activation,  your  overall 
commander  can  take  over  and  move  the  troops.  Should  the  attack  fall,  he 
can  rally  troops  before  they  rout  off  the  map. 

Timing  Attacks:  The  15  minute/125  yard  scale  and  the  paucity  of  heavy 
artillery  means  that  troops  will  not  come  under  fire  early.  Thus,  you  have 
time  to  reduce  dis- 
ruption during  move- 
ment and  make  sure 
your  units  go  into 
attack  in  good 
shape.  Although  this 
may  mean  launching 
only  one  attack  every 
hour,  you'll  get  more 
out  of  each  attack. 

— Jim  Cobb 


FIFA  ROAD  TO  WORLD  CUP  98 
and  WORLD  CUP 


AS  usual,  EA Sports  is  being 
tight-lipped  about  cheats  for 
the  PC  versions  of  its  excellent 
soccer  games.  However,  there  is  a very 
interesting  unofficial  Web  site,  www. 
fifagaming.com,  which  is  the  perfect 
place  to  surf— -if  you're  dying  to  download  that  special  Singapore  jersey. 
The  wide  variety  of  utilities  lets  you  edit  everything  from  player  jerseys  to 
advertisements  on  stadium  walls.  These  "real  football"  fanatics  also  have 
a lot  of  info  on  WORLD 
CUP  and  FIFA  SOCCER 
MANAGER  as  well.  {As 
always,  we  suggest 
that  you  use  caution 
when  hacking,  and' 
back  up  your  league 
files  before  installing 
utilities.)  — Terry 
Coleman 

TROPHY  RIVERS 

In  Single  Lure/Fly  tournaments,  go  with  a heavy  line.  This  approach 
makes  catching  fish  more  challenging  and  also  helps  to  keep  your 
line  from  snapping.  A broken  line  not  only  costs  you  a lure  or  fly,  it 
also  means  that  you  don't  get  to  compete  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 

Avoid  fishing  in 
swift  water  flowing 
toward  you.  Your 
line  can  get  so 
slack  you  won't  be 
able  to  set  a hook. 
Also,  shorter  casts 
make  for  shorter 
fights  with  the  fish, 
minimizing  the  pos- 
sibility of  snapping 
your  line.  —Robert 
Coffey 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


Adventure/RPC 


FALLOUT 

> Repeatedly  fighting  the 
regenerating  deathclaws  (at 


1.000  experience  a pop),  can 
give  your  character  about 

48.000  experience  in  one  day 
of  hard  work— provided  your 
ammo,  stimpaks,  and  patience 
hold  out. 


k Position  yourself  in  combat 
so  enemies  with  ranged 


weapons  are  as  likely  to  hit 
each  other  as  they  are  you! 


k Initiating  combat  while  in 
Sneak  mode  can  really  restrict 
how  many  enemies  "notice" 


you,  allowing  you  to  fight  one 
or  two  at  a time. 


k Small  Guns  are  good  to  tag 
for  combat  early  on,  but  you 
should  tag  Energy  Weapons  as 
soon  as  possible,  so  that  you 
get  the  most  out  of  the 
game's  best  weapons. 


mmm 


WARBIRDS  2.01 

If  you're  going  to  excel  in  I- 
Magic  Online's  WARBIRDS, 
you'll  need  to  learn  the  ins 
and  outs  of  the  individual  air- 
craft in  the  sim. 

In  addition  to  the  $2/hour 
multiplayer  and  free  head-to- 
head  support,  the  game  includes 
an  off-line  practice  mode.  If  you 
want  to  see  the  results  of  your 
maneuvering,  take  off  in  off-line 
practice  mode,  and  type  the 
codes  at  right  in  order.  This  lets 
you  see  if  your  Split-S's  are 
smooth  and  your  barrel  rolls  are 
effective.  — Denny  Atkin 


Code  Result 

I You  Enter  Command  Mode 

.smoke  50  Turns  On  "Airshow  Smoke" 

Alt-V  Switches  to  an  External  View 


OUTWARS 

The  developers  of  Microsoft's  new  3D  shooter  are 
evidently  big  movie  fans,  which  makes  for  some 
amusing  cheat  codes.  (Check  out  our  OUTWARS 
review  on  page  176.)  —Terry  Coleman 


Code  Result 

buzz Glider  Wings  (for  ToySforyfans) 

dirtyharry  Unlimited  Ammo  (for  Clint  fans) 

gohome  Reset  Level  to  Start  Position 

keymaster Unlimited  Jet  Pack  Fuel 

macleod Immortality  (for  Highlander  ians) 

snipsnip  Change  Gender  (for  Orlando  fans) 

thrasher Shows  All  Your  Enemies  on  Radar 


k Targeted  shots,  especially  at 
the  eyes,  are  devastating. 

k A character  with  Fast  Shot 
and  Bonus  Rate  of  Fire 
(requires  high  Agility  and 
Intelligence),  can  use  the  pow- 


erful Turbo  Plasma  Rifle  for  a 
cost  of  only  two  action  points. 


k If  you  can't  get  Talus  or 
Michael  to  help  you  acquire 


Power  Armor,  steal  the  part 
you  need  from  Rhombus's 
locker.  Remember  to  pop  it 
into  a bag  before  Rhombus 
catches  you.  — Petra  Schlunk 


DIE  BY  THE  SWORD 

p or  a totally  different  feel  in^_ 


h interplay's  latest,  try  the  following 
cheat:  Hold  down  tne  Shift  key 
and  type  lunar.  This  puts  both  you  and 
the  creatures  you  face  into  Lunar 
Gravity  Mode,  where  you  can  all  jump 
around  like  Apollo  11  astronauts.  This 
mode  isn't  necessarily  easier,  but  it  is 
fun.  (Check  out  our  DIE  BY  THE  SWORD 
review  on  page  174.)  — Terry  Coleman 


(A 

in 

0 

A 

m 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  * AUGUST  1998  253 


GAMER 


Save  Time  and  Money 
Ordering  Games  by  Phone! 


Local  Stores 
don't  always 
have  the 
games  you're 
looking  for 
or  the  expert 
advice  you 
need.  Take  a 
few  minutes 
to  browse 
the  next  few 
pages  and 
shop  with 
the  courte- 
ous, experi- 
enced 

salespeople 
in  Computer 
Gaming 
World's  JVIail 
Order  Mall! 


Chairman  and  CEO  Eric  KIppeau 
Chief  Financial  Officer  Timothy  O'SrIen 
Presidents 

ZD  Publishing  Claude  P.  Sheer 
ZD  Market  Intelligence  Bob  Brown 
ZO  Comdex  and  Forums  iason  Chudnofsky 
ZD  Brand  and  Market  Services  Terri  Holbrooke 
ZO  Internet  Productions  Dan  Rnsensweig 
ZD  Education  William  Rosenthal 
ZD  Television  Larry  W.  Wangberg 

Senior  Vice  Presidents  Rayna  Brown  {Human  Resources) 
Daryl  R.  Otte  (Planning  and  Development) 

Vice  Presidents  Steve  GladyszewskI  (Information  Services) 
I.  Malcolm  Monis  (General  Counsel  and  Seaelaty) 

Mark  Moyer  (Controller) 

Tracy  Nadi  (Human  Resources,  Operations) 

Treasurer  Thomas  L.  Wright 
Corporate  Sales  Joe  Gillespie  (Executive  Vice  President) 

ZD  Media  Network  Jeff  Bruce  (Executive  Director) 
Scott  Murijhy  (Executive  Director) 

Rita  Burke  (Executive  Director) 

ZD  Brand  and  Market  Services 
Brooke  Correll  (Vice  President  ZO  Brand  Marketing) 
Michael  Perkowski  (Vice  President  Client  Marketing) 
Elda  Vale  (Vice  President  Corporate  Research) 

Herb  Stern  (Vice  President,  ZD  Brand  Management) 
Gregory  Jarboe  (Director,  Corporate  Relations) 


President  Claude  P.  Sheer 


Executive  Vice  Presidents 
Don  Byrnes 
Chris  Oobbrow 
Jack  Dolce 
Al  DIGuido 
Thomas  McGrade 
Michael  J.  Miller 

Senior  Vice  President  Nancy  Newman 

Vice  Presidents 
Bob  Bader 
Johr)  Dodge 
Kathleen  Goodwin 
Roger  Herrmann 
Jonathan  Lane 
Eric  Lundquist 
Jim  Manning 
Charles  Mast 
James  F.  Ramaley 
Paul  Somerson 
Mark  Van  Name 

Executive  Director,  Licensing  Gertrud  Borchardt 
Director,  Benchmark  Operations  Sill  Catchings 
Director,  ZD  Labs  Lauren  Black 


Editorial  Director,  New  Products  BID  Machrone 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  (ISSN  0744-6667)  is  published  monthly  by 
Zilf-Davis.  Copyright  O 1 998  Ziff-Davis.  All  Rights  Reserved.  Material  in 
this  publication  may  not  be  reproduced  in  any  form  without  permission. 
If  you  want  to  quote  from  an  article,  write  to  Chantal  Tucker,  One  Park 
Avenue,  New  York,  NY  10016-5802,  or  fax  212-503-5420. 


ViTiZIFF-DAVIS 

a S O F 'f  B A I 
compaii 


Computer  Gaming  Worhlii  not  aflillaled  with  IDG. 


ABC 


For  reprints,  please  call  Ziff-Davis 
reprints  at  (800)  825-4237. 


Audit  Bureau  of 
Circulations 
Member 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


www.compulergaming.com 


GAMER 

EOlTOeS' 


CHOICE 


The  "GREY" 

Intel  Pentium  II  BOOIVIHz  MMX 
44aLX  AGP  Motherboard  w/5ISK 
AAVID  Cooling  System 
e4MB  SDRAM 
3.5"  Floppy  Drive 
Hercules  Terminator  EX/i  w/8MB  AGP 
Intel  i74D  Chipset  SX  AGP 
Diamond  Monster  Voodoo  II  w/GI 
e.4GB  Ultra-DMA  Hard  Drive 
SoundBlaster  AWE  G4  PnP 
Altec  Lansing  ACS45 
Subwoofer  & Speaker  System 
Toshiba  3BX  EIDE  CD-ROM 
ATX  Full-Tower  Case  vy/aOD  Watt 
Power  St»  ^ 

KoolMaH'V^eo  Cooling  System 
ID4^iK^ef]  Keyboard 
if^osio^fe-Button  Mouse 
^Diamond  Supra  5GK  V.90  Fax/Modem 
Widows  'SB  Operating  System 
^Kst  Drivers  for  Motherboard, 
^meo.  Sound.  Direct  X 
Free  Installation  SL  Configuration  of 
Favorite  Gdmes 

Price:  SB.OSS.OO 


''BOTTOM  LOME:  If  you've  gat  the  money  to 
spend  this  is  the  gaming  system  to  awn" 

-PC  GAMER.  January.  1933 

“PerfarmancB  vwas  simply  stunning" 

-COMPUTER  GAMINE  WORLD.  July.  1998 


ll\ID" 


The  "I 

Intel  Pentium  II  35IK/lHz  MMX 
44aBX  AGP  IVb^erboard  (5  PCI  Slots} 
AAVID  Cooling  System 
64MB  SDRAM  (PC-IDO) 

3.5"  Floppy  Drive 

Hercules  Terminator  2X/i  w/8MB  AGP 
Intel  1740  Chipset  SX  AGP 
Diamond  Monster  Voodoo  li  w/IBMB 
If.SGB  Ultra-DMA  Hard  Drive 
SoundBlaster  AWE  G4  PnP 
Altec  Lansing  ACS48  Powercube 
Subwoofer  & Speaker  System 
Toshiba  3BX  EIDE  CD-ROM 
ATX  Full-Tower  Case  w/3DD  Watt 
Power  Supply  w/Dual-Fans 
KoolMaxx  Video  Cooling  System 
104-Enhanced  Keyboard 
Microsoft  B-Button  Mouse  , 

Diamond  Supra  5GK  V.9D  Modem 
MS  Sidewinder  Precision  Pro 
Windows  '98  Operating  System 
Latest  Drivers  for  Motherboard, 

Video.  Sound.  Direct  X 

Free  installation  & configuration  of 

Favorite  Games 

Price:  $2,799.00 


Quality  IVIanitors 

17"  ViewSonic  V773  .2Edp  add:  «3g5.DD 
19"  ViewSonic  V95  .EGdp  add:  $B95.aa 
SI"  ViewSonic  PBIO  .S5dp  add:  $1.a5a.aa 


The  "AREA51" 

Intd^entium  II  4DDMHz  MMX 
44aBX  AGP  Motherboard  (5  PCI  Slots) 
AAVID  Coaling  System 
128MB  SDRAM  (PC-IOD) 

3.5"  Floppy  Drive 
Hercules  Terminator  2X/i  w/8MB 
Intel  1740  Chipset  2X  AGP 
Dual-Diamond  Monster  Voodoo  ll's 
24MB  Scan-Line  Interleave  Mode 
11.5GB  Ultra-DMA  Hard  Drive 
Iomega  Internal  Zip  Drive  10DMB 
SoundBlaster  16  PnP 
Diamond  Monster  Sound  MXEOD 
Altec  Lansing  ACSSOD  Dolby  Pro-Logic 
Subwoofer  fi.  Speaker  System 
Hitachi  End  Generation  DVD  Player 
ATX  Full-Tower  Case  w/300  Watt 
Power  Supply  w/Oual-Fans 
KoolMaxx  Video  Cooling  System 
1D4-Enhanced  Keyboard 
Logitech  Mouseman  ^ 

US  Rqgptics  5GK  V.9D  Fax/Modem 
MS  Sidewinder  Precision  Pro 
MS  Sidewinder  Game  Pad 
Windows  '9B  Operating  System 
Latest  Drivers  for  Motherboard, 

Video.  Sound.  Direct  X 

Free  installation  & configuration  of 

Favorite  Games 

Price:  $3,899.00 


> \ 


I i/¥i/www.aliBni/vare-pc.cam 

TOLL  FREE:  1-8aa-494-338B 

Product  names  used  In  this  publication  are  trademarks  of  their  respective  companies. 

Go  to  #105  @ www.computergaming.com/infollnk 


world  cojnterpart,  and 
30  unique  scenarios.  Plan 
damage  on  a 


Activision  (Simulation) 
Release:  NOW 


'STAR  TREK;  SECRET  OF  VULCAN 
FURY’  Six  new  Star  Trek 
lures  that  will  take  you  and 
originai  Enterprise  crew 
Spock,  McCoy,  Scolly, 

Chekov,  & Uhura)  deep  into 
mysterious  past  of  the  Vulcan  and 
Romulan  races.  Enemies  & 
both  old  & new,  play  pivotal  roles. 
Players  v/ill  face  challenging 
obstacles,  thought-provoking 
Duzties.  & 

Interplay 
Release: 

PC  CD 


‘SIM’  As  the  leader  ot  HARO- 
CORPS  sec-force.  Armed  vrilh  an 
array  of  weaponry  and  pitted 
against  mean  and  ugly  mutants, 
you  must  infiltrate  the  drug  circuit 
and  bring  it’s  master  mind  to  jus- 


through  time  with  the 
trusty  sword.  Ctiase  down  the  evil 
Dr.  Benedict  through  4 different 
eras.  Advance  in  multiple  skill  lev- 
els such  as  Attack  Pov/er,  Attack 
Speed,  Running  Speed, 
Maximum  Health  and  more. 
Incredible  graphics  and  challeng- 
ing Al. 


Eidos  (Action) 


GT  Interactive  (Action) 


Eidos  (Roleplaying] 
Release:  7/98 
PC  CD 


CHIPS&BITSmc. 


POB  234  DEPT  11024 
ROCHESTER,  VT  05767 
INT’L  802-767-3033  FAX  802-767-3382 


.Setectio" 


COMPUTER  GAMES;  SIMULATION 


1943  Euro  Air  War 
30  Naval  Battles 
81  Hunter  Killer 
1-640  Longtiaw  2 
ATF  98 
Air  Warrior  3 
Anarctiy 
Apache  Havoc 
Ares  Rising 
Babylon  5 
Baja  1000  Flacing 
Brnout  Champ  Oragrcng 
Castrol  Honda  Superblke 
Cyberstrike  2 


f-15 


F-IBAc 


F-22  ADF 
FI  Racing  Sim 
Falcon  4.0 


11/98  J45.93 
09/98  $43.99 
06/97  $46.99 
12/97  $44.99 
08/98  $46.99 
12/97  $36.99 
OS/98  $41.99 
11/98  $39.99 
06/98  $45.99 
09.^8  $48  99 
12/98  $45.99 
05/98  $39,99 
05/98  $43.99 
08/98  $39.99 
03/98  $46.99 
08/98  $46.99 
12/97  $44.99 
04/98  $46.99 
12/98  $54.99 


Fighter  Legends 
Flying  Corps  Gold 
Flying  Saucer 
Flying  Tigers 
Front  Line  Fighters 
Grand  Prlx  Legends 


06/98  $46.99  Privateers 

09/98  $48.99  Recoil 

08/98  $48.99  Red  Baron  2 


MS  Combal  Flight  Sim  08/98  $48.99  SSNscrGrndNr 

MS  Flight  Sim  96 
MechWartiorS 

Mlg  Alley  09/98  $39,99  Scimn  Demons  Europe 

Monster  Truck  Madnss  2 05/98  $46.99  Skies 

Moto  Racer  GP  09/97  $40,99  Spearhead 

Nascar  Racing  3 12/96  $47.99  Spearhead  Eap  Pack 

Nations  Fighter  Command  11/98  $48.99  Starslege 

Panzer  Commander  06/98  $48.99  Super  Hornet  2000 

PanzerEIite  12/98  $46.99  Super  Touting  Cars 


i $48.99 
i $44.99 
) $52.99 
8 $46.99 

7 $27.99 

8 $42.99 
8 $46.99 
8 $46.99 
6 $26.99 
3 $26.99 
3 $43.99 
8 $44,99 
3 $47.99 
3 $48.99 
3 $49.99 
3 $29.99 
3 $48.99 
3 $46.99 
5 $43.99 


igCarClinip  08-98  $45.! 


le  0698  $46.! 

lornelsNesI  09/98  $48.! 
rr  07/98  $48  ! 

icher  2 0398  $44.! 

lacing  68-72  0998  $36.! 


cing  Pro 


03/98  $42.! 
1298  $44.! 
0598  $46! 
m5:Prophcy  1297  $41.! 


X-WngvTio  Cmp  1 
X-WnovTIeFghler 
iA-lDWarUiog 
if-22  v5,0 
iF/A-1BCSF 


0499  $49  ! 
0698  $46.! 
06/98  $29.! 
1297  $24.! 
05/97  $46.! 


3 $43.! 


3 $35.! 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  HARDWARE 


Cenlrollers 

CHFieComhalshck  1195 
CH  FISFjghletstick 
CH  F16Fligh1sliCk 
CH  Game  Card  3 Aulo 
CH  Gamestick  14 
CH  Joystick  Switchbox 
CH  Pro  Throttle 
CHRacng  WhiW  Pedal 
CH  Virtual  Pilot  Pro 


1195 

0291 

1297 

1197 

0396 

1097 


Gravis  PC  Gamepd 
GtavtS  Xirrainalor  Gme 
Joyswilch 

MS  SideWdr  FrSIIProF 
MS  Sidewinder  FF  Pro 
MS  Sidewndr  Prec  Pro 
Mad  Cau  Paniher  XL 
Quickshol  Master  I 
Quickshol  MstrPIl 
Saliek  PC  Dash 


196  $26.99 
Pd06/98  $44.99 
09,94  $42.99 


0997  $148.99 
1097  $54.99 
01/96  $62.99 
98  04/96  $39.99 
t 04/98  $25.99 
04/96  $49.99 


Saliek  X-36  Coni  Sys 
Space  Orb  360 
Suncom  F15  Talon  Jsik 
Suncom  SFS  Throttle 
TM  Allack  Throllle 
TM  Elite  fluddr  Pedafs 
TM  F16  TQS 
TM  F22  Pro 
TM  Game  Card 
TM  Nascar  Racng  WhI 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  ACTION 


Daika 


Dark  Forces  JediMssn 
Dark  Frees  Jedi  Xngni 
Dead  Reckoning 
Deaih  Trap  Dungeon 
Delta  Force 
Descent  3 


3 $39.99 
3 $24.99 
7 $46.99 


Descent Freespace 
Oethkarz 

Duke  Nukem  Forever 
EXFOR  Omega 
Esoiena 
Forsaken 
Glams 
Half  Lite 
Heavy  Gear  2 
Heretic  2 


0598  $45.99  Max  Payna 
1098  $42.99  Messiah 

12/98  $48.09  Planet  Texas 

1198  $48.99  Prey 

1198  $46.99  Profiteer 

0598  $4299  Quake  2 

1298  $48.99  Quake  2 Juggernaut 
0698  $46.99  Quake  2 Mission  Pk  1 
0299  $48.99  Quake  3 


11/98  $47.99  Sin 


Sin 


$4B.99 

$50.99 

$45.99 

$44.99 

$15.99 


Master 

SpecOps 

Starship  Troopers 
Tomb  Raider  2 
Tomb  Raiders 


1298  $49.99  Redneck  Rmp  Rides  Agn  0596  $ 


12/96 

1197 

1198 
0696 
0598 
0798 
1293 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  SPORTS 


Baseball  Mogul  99  0598 

Big  Game  Hunter  Add-On  0798 
Deer  Hunter  Companion  0598 
Deer  Hunter  ExI  Seasn  0598 
Duck  Hunter  Pro  0898 


FIFARt 


Id  Cup  98 


FPS  Football  98 
FPS  Foolball  99 
FPS  Skiing 

FPS  Trophy  Bass  Rvts 


$12.99 

$17.89 

$41.99 

$29.99 

$42.99 

$47.99 

$36.99 


Game.  Net  & Match  05/98  $39.99  Madden  FB  98 

Golden  Tee  Golf  98  06/98  $39.99  Madden  NFL  99 

Golf  Pro;  W/ Gary  Player  04/98  $42,99  MoloRacerGP2 


GolfiElile  Collection 
Hardball  6 
Legends  ol  FB  98 
Links  LS  98 
Links  LS  Davis  Love 
Links  LS  Valhalla 


MS  Golf  98 


$19.99  NCAAFo 
04/98  $44.99  NFL  Gameday  99 

08/97  $38,99  NHL  Hockey  99 

07/97  $29,99  NHL  Powerp1ay99 

06/97  $17.99  NeedtorSpeedO 

04/97  $17.99  PBA  Bowling  2 


10/97  $45.99 
09/96  $44.99 
09/93  $44.99 
09/98  $44.99 
08/98  $39.99 
10/98  $44.99 
09/98  $44.99 
10/93  $44.99 
10/98  $35.99 


OS/98  $48.99  SS  Baseball  Pro  98  06/98  $19.99 


SS  Football  98 
SS  Ski  Racing 
SS  Trophy  Bass  2 DIk 
Tiger  99 

Tiger  99  TPC  Courses 
Tiger  99  Tournament  Crs  0&98  S18.9 
Triple  Play  99  0196  $44,9 

World  Cup  98  05/98  $44.9 

World  League  Soccer  98  05-93  $44.9 
Worldwide  Soccer  98  09/97  $39.9 


06/98  $19.9 
06.'98  $36.9 
06/98  626.9 
06/98  $44.9 
06/98  $16.9 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  ADVENTURE 


Adienix  Crisis 
Alien  Earth 
Alien  Intelligence 


nIEuropa  08/98  $43.99 


Dark  Side  ot  Moon 


09/98  $48.99  Outcast 

08/98  $48.99  Overseer 

10/98  $48.99  Patriot  Games 

00/98  $42.99  Prince  ol  Persia  3D 

08/98  $48.99  Queen:  The  Eye 

02/98  $39.99  Quest  for  Gloiy  5 

12/98  $48.99  Redguard 

09/98  $44.99  Return  to  Kiondor 
11/97  $35.99  Robot  Club 

11/98  $41.99  Sanitarium 


11/98  $48.99  Siege  cl  Stoimhaven 


SlrTrk  ScrlVIcn  Fry 
Under  Killing  Moon 
Wiircraft  LordolCIns 


10/98  $48.9 
12/98  $52.9 
11/98  $48.9 
04/93  $19.9 
08/96  $48.9 
11/94  $12.9 
06/98  $46.9 
03/98  $19.9 
$48.9 
10/97  $39.9 


HINT  BOOKS 


Tomb  Raider  Anlhology 


08/98  $13  99 
12/97  $1699 
06/98  $16.99 
05/98  $16.99 
07/98  $18.99 
01/98  $14  99 
05/98  $13.99 
04/96  $15.99 
05/96  $15.99 


Black  Dahlia 
Blade  Runner 
Curse  ol  Monkey  Isle 
Dark  Side  ol  the  Moon 
Gabriel  Knight  3 
King's  Quests 
Quest  lor  Glory  5 
Warcraft  Adventures 


Role-Playing 


11/96  S 


03/98  $15.99  Might  & Magic  6 

01/98  $14.99  Thief  Dark  Project 

01/98  $15.99  Ultima  9:Ascension  12/98 

11/98  $17.99  Ulllma  Online  1097 

09/96  $18.99  $lniulaliDn 

00/98  $16.99  F-15  05/98 

06/98  $16.99  Falcon  4.0  07/98 

06.98  $16.99  Mechwarrior3  0998 


k-Flles Advenluie Game  0698  $16.99  Privaieer3 


Alpha  Centauri 

Dune  2000 
Heroes  MSM  3 
IMF  Cybeislorm  2 
MechCommandet 


3 $17 


Myth 


0798  $16 
0596  $18 
0798  $16 
01/98  $16 
0896  $16 
04/98  $15 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  ADULT 


of  sin 


Arabian  Nlghls 
Beverly  HI  Call  Gris 
Cabin  Fever 
Celebrity  Nudes 
Club  Royal 
Crystal  Fantasy 
Cyber  Photographer 
Oada  House 


1097  $39.99 
0498  $32.99 
0398  $39.99 

0796  $12.99 

0797  $34.99 
0195  $19.99 
0498  $39  99 
0995  $39.99 
08/96  $29.99 
0298  $19.99 


Diva  X NJ 
Diva  X Rebecca 
Diva  X:  Kanako 


1293  $19.99  Femme  Fatale 
0496  $44.99  Glrllilend  Donna 
01/96  $34.90  Glamor  Glrls1-3ea 
1197  $29.99  Nighhvalcn  Int  3 
08/96  $34.99  Platinum  Six  Pack 
0398  $34.99  Po/no  Poker 
1197  $34.99  RomsoftSixPk2 
10-96  $49.99  Ropes  & Chains 
1296  $49.99  Sex  With  Farrah 
06/98  $39.99  Seymore  Six  Pack 


0796 

0496 

1295 

0696 


) $19.99 
3 $42.99 
3 $39.99 


Space  Sirens  2 
Strip  Fighter 
Strip  Poker  Pro  2 
Sushi  Bar  Girls 
Tabloid  Beauties 
Tokyo  Nymphs 
Ultra  Vixen 
Vampire  s Kiss 
Virtual  Valerie  2 
Wheel  ol  Fantasy 


5 $39,9 


0496  S29.9 
1294  $29.9 
0496  $12.9 
0597  $46.9 
1094  $34.9 
0895  $32.9 
0895  $19.9 


S17.99 

$33.99 

$24.99 

$30.99 

$19.99 

$49.99 

$9.99 

$27.99 

$18.99 

$37.99 

$17.99 

$59.99 

$29.99 

$19.99 


X35T:2xFireBultQns,4WayHat 

Switch, RudderControl,2i<Rotarv 
Controls.MDiJ^^dj|ll|I^Way 

XaeFiSxFireBultons.zxBWay 
HatSwitches.X&YTrimControls, 
'Pinkie’Shift  FunctionMhLED. 


$17.99 

$25.99 

$24.99 

$25.99 

$24.99 

$24.99 

$23.99 

$24.99 


www.cdmag.com/chips.html 

orcall1-800-699-4263 


Source  Code  11024 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  STRATEGY 


09/90  $35.99 
05/98  $44.99 
06fl8  $46.00 
11/95  $34.99 
10/97  $41.99 
05/99  $48.99 
08/98  $48.99 
05/93  $34.99 
09/98  $43.99 
11/98  $44.99 
09/96  $19.99 
09/98  $46.99 
03/96  $19.99 
02/97  $18.99 
04/97  $12.99 
11/96  $25.99 
09/95  $19.99 
12/98  $48  99 
05/97  $29.99 
11/97  $24.99 
06/98  $46.99 
12/95  $19.99 
03/96  $29.99 
06/98  $35,99 
11/98  $39.99 
09/97  $39.99 
10/98  $39.99 
03/98  $43.99 
11/98  $48.99 
05/98  $35.99 
09/98  $40.99 


Dune  2000  07/98  $39.99 

Dungeon  Keeper  Gold  04/98  $39.99 

Emergency  11/98  $43.99 

Emperor  ol  Fadng  Suns  01/97  $18.99 


Enitepreneur 
EntremsTaciics 
Extreme  Warfare 
Force  Commander 
Freedom  In  Galaxy 
Galactic  Mirage 
Glottal  Oomlnallon 
Guardians:  AgntsJsl 
Heroes  U&M  2 
Heroes  M&M  2 Exp  Pk 
Heroes  M8MW95 
Heroes olMS  M3 
Hollywood  Mogul 
Impailairsm 
Incubation 

IncuballonrWilderness 
Industry  Giant 
JaggtlAIIncDdlyGame  09/96  $19.99 

Jagged  Alliance  2 09/98  $44.99 

KKND20- 
LEDWars 
Lords  Flealm  2 
Lords  Realm  2 Exp  Pk 
Lords  dl  Magic 
M Galhing  BaiHemage 
MAX2 


10/97  $38.99 
as/98  $48.99 
08/98  $48.99 
11/98  $49.99 
11/98  $42,99 
07/98  $44.99 
11/98  $48.99 
09/98  $46.99 
11/96  $25.99 
05fl7  $19.99 
02/96  $19.99 
11/98  $44.99 
12/97  $39.99 
08/97  $29.99 
10/97  $38.99 
05/98  $19.99 
04/90  $36.99 


08/98  $42.99 
10/98  $41.99 
11/96  $25.99 
06/97  $28.99 
$34.99 
01/97  $20.99 
06/98  $44.99 


MTG  Ooels  Planeswalker  02/90  $26.99 


10/97  $20.99 
03fl7  $16.99 
11/98  $44.99 
10/94  $14.99 
11/94  $19.99 
11/96  $25.99 
07/90  $52.99 
05/90  $36.99 
11/97  $39.99 
09/97  $19.99 
11/97  $29.99 
09/98  $42.99 
10/98  $45.99 
12/98  $48.99 
09/98  $45.99 
03/98  $49.99 
09/98  $44,99 
10/98  $46.99 
12/98  $48.99 
06/98  $48.99 
00/98  $45.99 
04/97  $19.99 
09/98  $44,99 
05/98  $35.99 
08/98  $35.99 
09/98  $54.99 
03/90  $26.99 
06/98  $28.99 
05/98  $43.99 
10/98  $48.99 
06/93  $46.99 


04/98  S 
06/98  S 
07/98 


Rti.eA!(  I 

SlarTrekStaflleelCmmndl2/98  ! 
Starciaft 

SlaicraR  Expansion 
Slarcrafi  Reialialion 
Stars  Twinpack 
Stellar  Frpntler 
Stratosphere  08/98  $ 

Theocracy  12/08  $ 

Tolal  Annimiallon  10/97  S 

ToialAnnlhllalionE  12/90  S 

Total  Annitn  Core  Cntgncy  04/98  $ 

Toll  Annhitn  Bill  Teles  07/98  $ 

Transpol  Tycoon  Olx  09/95  S 

Tribal  Rage  05/98  $ 

Uprising  10/97  $ 

Uotislno2  11/06  $ 


WarBteeds 
Warcrait  2 
Wargames 

Wathmmr40k  ChsGale 
Warlords  2 Dlx 
Warlords  3 
Warlords  3 Add-On 
Warlotn 
Warwind  2 
WotIdcraR  2 
Worms  2 

X-Com  Apocalypse 
X-Com  UFO  Defense 
X-FIre 


COMPUTER  GAMES:  WAR 


101SI  Airborne  Normandy  08/98 


Civil  War  Experience 
Civil  War  Generals 
Close  Combal  2 
East  Front 
East  From  Camp 
Greal  Battles  Caesar 
Great  BaltisAlexndr 
Great  BRies  Hannibal 
Napoleon  in  Russia 
Operliont  Ariel  War 


11/96  $33.99 

08/98  $45.99 
10/97  $33.99 
10/98  $42.99 
10/98  $42.99 
10^7  $19.99 
09/98  $43.99 
10fl7  $43.99 
12/98  $39.99 


Steel  Panihers  3 11/97  : 

Steel  Panthers  Arsenal  05/98  : 

Storm  In  the  West  04/98 

Third  Reich  10/96 

V Victory  Bundle  H/95 

War  Along  the  Mohawk  07/98  $28.99 

War  in  East  Rostov  04/90  $24.99 

War  In  Europe  05/98  $39.99 

War  ih  the  East:  Ijyum  04/98  $24.9 

War  Inihe  East:  Leningtad04/9B  $24.99 


BOARD  GAMES 


12/94  $19.99 
06/98  $45.99 
01/95  $19.00 
09/96  $25.99 
12/94  $11.99 
01/95  $42.99 
09/95  $29.99 
11/96  $39.99 
03/98  $25.99 
12/94  $27.99 
05/98  $43.99 
04/95  $22.99 
03/96  $32.99 
12/94  $27.99 


Invasion:  Sicily 
Krieg! 

Lee  Takes  Command 
Llonheatl 
Longest  Day 
Longslreers  Assault 
Midway 

Napoleon's  Battles 
Over  the  Reich 
Pacific  War 
Pax  Srilannica 
Rebels  & Redcoats  ti 
Republic  ol  Rome 
Rise  ol  LuHwalle 


05/98  $24.99 
08/96  $36.99 
03/95  $24.99 
10/97  $35.99 
01/95  $59.99 
Ot/95  $24.99 
12/94  $19.99 
12/94  $24.99 
12/94  $31.99 
12/94  $39.99 
12/94  $18.99 
•2  05fl5  $25.99 
12/94  $29.99 
01/95  $19.99 


Riseot  the  Red  Army 
Samurai  Swards 
Saratoga 
Seiners  ol  Catan 
Sliver  Bayonetle 

Spanish  Civil  Wars 
Stonewall  Jackson  Way 
Texas  Revolution 
Typhoon!  1941 
Wat  To  End  All  Wats 
Warnammer  40K 
We  the  People 
Wcoden  Ships 


ROLE  PLAYING  GAMES 


AD&D  DM  Guide  02/95  $20.99 

Albedo  04/98  $18,99 

AllEtnilyPlayer'sHbook  04/98  $24.99 

ArsMagIcaAthEd  08/95  $25.99 

Bubblegum  Crisis  12/96  $1699 

CallolCthulhu  02/95  $18.99 

Conspiracy  X 09/96  $21.99 

Cyberpunk  2020  05fl5  $17.99 


s Rulebook 

Diagonlanpe  Sih  Age 
Earthdawn 
GURP5  Rulebook 
Heavy  Gear 
Hercules  & Xena 


10/97  $27.99  Macross2 

09/96  $20.99  Mcchwatricr 

06/95  $17.99  MERP2 

02/95  $20.99  Pendragondih  Ed. 

08/95  $25.99  RiRs 

04;'9e  $26.99  Roboieeh 

02/95  $24.99  RuneOueslAlh  Ed 

04/98  $24.99  Shadowrun  2nd  Ed. 


04/95  $11.99 

07/95  $13.99 
10/95  $16.99 
05/95  $19.99 
06/95  $21.99 
04/95  $11.99 
06/93  $19! 


Startiie  3rd.  Ed. 

Star  Wars  Revised  Ed, 

Traveller 

Trinity 

Vampire  2nd  Ed. 
Warhammet  Fanlasy 
Wetewpll 


I COMPUTER  GAMES:  ROLE  PLAYING 


07/98  $44.99 

12/98  $48.99 
04/93  $39.99 
05/98  $54.99 
05/98  $44.99 
09/90  $48.99 
09/98  $48.99 
10/98  $46.99 
09/98  $48.99 
12/98  $52.99 
09/97  $49.99 
11/98  $49.99 


FREE  GAME  OFFER! 


Bildgs  myrnpiad  3.5,  Disciples  ol  Steel  CD,  Elements  3.5.  Orlgamo  3.5 
SPEND  $100 

Jutlanil  CD,  Return  ol  the  Phantom  3,5,  HiilillB  Master  lu  CD, 

Simon  Soicerei  3,5 

AN^Cot^^PacIliC  1942  3,5,  Grandest  Fleet  3,5.  Star  Trek  Judgement 
' Riles  3.5,  Universal  Neverlock3.S 


our  discretion.  Atter  10  days  the  manulacturer's  warrantee  applies.  All  sales  Imal.  S 
■ ■ is  charged  onjte  per  ordor^piaced, 


'FALLOUT  2‘  This  sequel  to  the  popular  roleplaying  game  will  have 
a new  cast  of  mutants,  droids,  ghouls,  lizards,  & llesh-  eating 
plants.  It  lealures  improved  Artificial  Intelligence,  a car,  new  armor, 
& new  weapons.Give  strategic  commands  to  your  party  members, 
tell  them  to  heal  themselves,  slay  put,  & even  teach  them  new  skills 
& abilities. 

Eidos 


PC  CD 


'MYTH'  is  a tactical  level  real-tim 

strategy  game  ol  lantasy  warfar 
with  an  emphasis  on  multiplaye 
baltles.This  medieval  univers 
leatures  unprecedented  realis 
and  detail.  Seasons  change  durin 
the  course  ol  the  game,  attectin 
tactical  decisions.  Real  3D  terra! 
dynamic  lighting,  and  tricky  arti 
cial  Intelligence 


'ALPHA  CENTAURI’  is  Sid  Meier'c 

new  turn-based  empire-building 
strategy  game.  A mother  ship's 
human  cargo  fleeing  earth  in  the 
22nd  century  splits  Into  7 tactions 
en  route  to  the  selt-titled  destina- 
tion, Colonists  can  terraform  land 
I changing  topography  to  suit 
' needs.  Determine  your  infant  civi- 
I lizatlons  modus  operendi.  Design 
1 your  own  military  with  land,  sea 
& air  units. 

Electronic  Arts(Strateg 


SAITEK  X36  CONTROL  SYSTEM 

includes  the  fully  programmable 
X36F  Control  Stick  8, 

Throttle  & Rudder  Control. 

Saitek  (Hardware) 

Release:  5/96  PC 


Spend  the  speeilied  amount  on  any  In-slock  seltware  and  ctioosa  one  Irea  | 
IBM  game  Irom  the  corresponding  list.  Request  must  be  made  at  time  ol 
order.  Oiler  good  an  In-stock  sollwaia  only,  while  supplies  last.  Limit  2 par 
customer.  Valid  through  7/26/98. 


DIAMOHO  MONSTER  30  II'  ThI 
3D  add-on  upgrade  card  works 
with  your  existing  3D  graphics 
card  or  2D/3D  combo  card.  Using 
the  next  generation  3Dfx  Voodoo2 
chipset.  Diamond  Monster  3DII 
simply  blows  away  previous  stan- 
dards ol  performance! 

Diamond  (Hardware) 
Release:  NOW 
PC 


12meg^ 


S200same  as  cash.  COD  SB.  Price,  release,  availability,  shipping  tirnes 

ire  added  S&H.  Within  10  days  detectives  repaired  or  replaced  at 
S&H  calculated  on  a per  order,  per  shipment,  and  per  item  basis. 


Tlie'perorder'chargeischargeclv..,..,.-.  - . 

is  charged  once  tor  each  item  ordered  and  the  per  shipriienl  charge 
charged  once  for  each  shipment  we  make  to  you.  For  each  US  order  $10.00 
will  he  allocated  to  a 12  issue  subscription  to  Computer  Games  Strategy  Plus. 


'DIABLO  II:  INFERNO'  Five  new 

character  classes  with  unique 
attributes  & abilities.  Four  diller- 
ent,  fully  populated  towns,  multi- 
ple dungeons,  caverns  & crypts. 
Expanded  world  filled  with  all-new 
quests,  weapons,  spells,  aimor,  & 
monsters.  Advanced  combat  sys- 
tem which  incorporates  class- 
specltlc  fighting  techniques  & 
spells. 


Go  to  #068  @ www.computergaming.com/infollnk 


Each  month,  2,000  CGW  subscribers  are  selected  at  random  to  rate  1 00  computer  games.  The  results  of  that  poll  are  combined 
with  the  results  of  previous  months  to  yield  a cumulative  average  for  the  best  plays  in  gaming.  If  you  receive  a ballot,  please 
return  it  with  your  ratings  so  that  other  gamers  and  game  publishers  can  benefit  from  your  feedback. 


1 TOP  ACTION  CAflAES 

i ^ 

1 

Quake  II 

Activision 

8.67 

3 1 

2 

Quake  Pack  2:  DOE 

id  Software/Roaue 

8.63 

d 

J 

Quake  Pack  1:  SOA 

id  Software/Ritual 

8.62 

4 

4 

Jedi  Kniaht;  Dark  Forces  II 

LucasArts 

8.47 

b 

Duke  Nukem  3D 

6 

— 

jedi  Knight;  Myst.  of  the  Sith 

LucasAris 

8.04 

7 

6 

Tomb  Raider 

Eidos 

8.02 

» 

a 

Quake 

id  Software 

7.99 

9 

10 

Moto  Racer 

£A 

7.75 

1U 

9 

The  Need  for  Speed  SE 

EA 

7.73 

TOP  CLASSIC/PUZZLE  CAflAES 


B 1 

IB  2" 

1 

2 

You  Don't  Know  Jack  2 

You  Don't  Know  Jack  3 

Berkeley  Systems 
Berkeley  Systems 

8.35 

8.07 

i ^ 

3 

You  Don't  Know  Jack  Movies  Berkeley  Svstpms 

7.95 

4 

4 

You  Don  t Know  Jack  Sports  Berkeley  Systems 

b 

— 

Smart  Games  Challenae  2 

Smart  Games 

7.45 

b 

b 

Worms  2 

MicroProse 

7.43 

7 

5 

You  Don't  Know  Jack  TV 

Berkeley  Systems 

7.39 

8 

Power  Chess 

Sierra 

7.29 

9 

Lose  Your  Marbles 

SeqaSoft 

6.85 

I 10  — Creatures 


Mindscape 


TOP  SPORTS  CAflAES 


1 Links  LS 


Access 


8.59 


92 

2 

NHL  98 

EA  Sports 

8.45 

3 

3 

NBA  Live  98 

EA  Sports 

8.34 

4 

4 

NASCAR  Racing  2 

Sierra 

8.16 

5 

5 

Grand  Prix  2 

MicroProse 

7.94 

6‘ 

5 

NHL  97 

EA  Sports 

7.88 

7 

7 

NBA  Live  97 

EA  Sports 

7.87 

8 

8 

Tripleplav  98 

EA  Sports 

7.64 

9 

— 

Diamond  Mind  Baseball  7.0 

Diamond  Mind 

7.62 

10 

'9 

Jack  Nicklaus  4 

Accolade 

7.54 

TOP  ADVENTURE  CAflAES 


J 1 

1 The  Pandora  Directive 

Access 

8.19 

m 2 

3 Curse  of  Monkev  Island 

LucasArts 

8.11 

%\  ^ 

— Blade  Runner 

Weslwood/Virgin 

7.84 

I 

4 Twinsen's  Odvssev 

Activision 

7.66 

1 

_5  Realms  of  the  Haunting 

Interolay 

7.43 

8 Rama 

Sierra 

7.43 

5 Last  Express 

Red  Orb 

7.43 

n ^ 

5 The  Neverhood 

DreamWorks 

7.42 

1 ^ 

9 Circle  of  Blood 

Virqin 

7.41 

1 

10  Spycraft 

Activision 

7.29 

i TOP  SIflflULATION/SPACE  COflflRAT 

B 1 

2 Longbow 

EA 

8.51 

IB  2 

1 Wing  Commander  Prophecv  Oriain 

8,32 

! 3 

4 AH-64  Longbow 

EA/Oriain 

8.03 

4 

— F-22ADF 

DID 

8.00 

5 

6 MechWarrior  2;  Mercenaries  Activision 

7.75 

6 

5 Fighters  Anthology 

EA 

7,69 

7 

* Flight  Sim  98 

Microsoft 

7.35 

j 8 

— Flight  Unlimited  2 

Lookinq  Glass 

7,30 

9 

— X-Winq  vs.  TIE  Fighter 

LucasArts 

7.12 

TOP  STRATECY  CAflAES 


3 

Ip 

S 2 

1 

2 

.Heroes_|l:_Price  of  Loyalty  NewWorld  Como  8 96 
WarCraft  il  Expansion  Disk  Bii77flrd  R7n 

j 

b 

Heroes  II 

New  World  Comp 

8,60 

4 

b 

Red  Alert 

Viroin/Westwood 

8.56 

b 

/ 

Red  Alert:  Counterstrike 

Virqin/Westwood 

8.24 

b 

3 

Total  Annihilation 

GT  Interactive 

8.11 

/ 

8 

Age  of  Empires 

Microsoft 

8.01 

8 

— 

Civ  II:  Scenarios 

MicroProse 

8.00 

9 

Civ  II:  Fantastic  Worlds 

MicroProse 

7.86 

10 

— 

Jagged  All;  Deadly  Games 

Sir-Tech 

7.51 

1 TOP  ROLE-PLAYING  CAflAES 

1 1 

1 

Diablo 

Blizzard 

8 56 

I2 

2 

Fallout 

Interplay 

8 77 

3 

3 

Hellfire 

Sierra 

8 01 

4 

4 

Dagqerfall 

Bethesda 

7 13 

b 

b 

Lands  of  Lore  II 

Westwood 

647 

b 

8 

Meridian  59 

3DO 

5 00' 

/ 

/ 

Ultima  Online 

Origin 

4 83 

8 

9 

Descent  to  Undermountain  Interplay 

3 8? 

— 

10 

— 

TOP  WARCAAAES 


i 1 

2 Steel  Panthers  Camp.  Disk 

SSI 

8.45 

« 2 

2 Panzer  General  II 

SSI 

8.44 

3 

1 Steel  Panthers  II  Camp.Disk  SSI 

8.43 

4 

4 Sid  Meier's  Gettysburg 

Firaxis 

8.24 

b 

5 Steel  Panthers  II 

SSI 

8.10 

b 

6 Battleground:  Shiloh 

TalonSoft 

7.87 

/ 

/ Battleground:  Nap.  In  Russia  TalonSoft 

7.85 

8 

9 Battleground:  Bull  Run 

TalonSoft 

7.83 

9 

10  Battleground:  Antietam 

TalonSoft 

7.78 

10 

8 Tigers  on  the  Prowl  11 

HPS 

7.77 

COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


y.conipDtc'tfi.iming,! 


Games  on  unnumbered  lines  are  tied  with  game  on  line  above.  ★ =Top  game  of  genre.  Red  = New  Game,  AD  = Adventure,  RP  - Roie-Playing,  SI  - Simulation/Space 
Combat,  ST  = Strategy,  WG  = Wargame,  AC  = Action,  SP  = Sports,  CP  = Classic/Puzzle.  Games  are  retired  after  two  years  and  become  eligible  for  tbe  Hall  of  Fame. 


THIS  lAST  GAME/ 

CAME 

GEm 

pou  caw  1 

5C0R5  mm  1 

1 1 Heroes  11:  Price  of  Loyalty  NewWorld  Computing 

ST__ 

8.96 

5 

2 4 WarCraft  11  Expansion  Disk  Blizzard 

ST 

8,70 

4.5 

3 2 Quake  II  Activision 

""ac_ 

8.67 

4.5 

4 6 Quake  Pack  2:  Diss.  of  Eternity  id  Software/Rogue 

AC 

”’8,63 

5 

5 7 Quake  Pack  1 : Scourge  of  Armagon  id  Software/Ritual  AC  8.62 4.5 


6 10  Heroes  II  New  World  Computing 

7 11  Links  LS  Access  

8 13  Diablo  Blizzard 

12  Red  Alert  Virgin  Westwood 

10  5 Longbow  2 EA 


11  18  Jedi  Knight:  Dark  Forces  II  LucasArts AC  8.47  4.5 


12  13  NHL  98  EA  Sports 

SP 

8.45 

4 

16  Steel  Panthers  Campaign  Disk  SSI 

WG 

8.45 

4 

14  16  Panzer  General  II  SSI 

WG 

8,44 

5 

15  15  Steel  Panthers  11  Campaign  Disk  SSI 

WG 

8.43 

4,5 

16  20  You  Don't  Know  Jack  2 Berkeley  Systems 

CP 

8,35 

4,5 

17  19  NBA  Live  98  EA  Spoils 

SP 

8.34 

4,5 

18  3 Wing  Commander:  Prophecy  Origin 

SI 

8.32 

4,5 

19  23  Fallout  interplay 

RP 

8.27 

4.5 

20  23  Red  Alert;  Counterstrike  Virgin/Westwood 

ST 

8.24 

4 

22  Sid  Meier's  Gettysburg  Firaxis 

WG 

8.24 

4.5 

22  26  The  Pandora  Directive  Access 

AO 

8.19 

N/R 

23  27  NASCAR  Racing  2 Sierra 

SP 

8.16 

5 

24  28  Duke  Nukem  3D  30  Realms 

AC 

8,15 

4.5 

25  40  Curse  of  Monkey  Island  LucasArts 

AD 

8,11 

5 

8 Total  Annihilation  GT  Interaaive 

ST 

8.11 

4.5 

27  33  Steel  Panthers  II  SSI 

WG 

8.10 

4,5 

28  21  You  Don't  Know  Jack  3 Berkeley  Systems 

CP 

8,07 

4 

29  _ Jedi  Knight;  Mysteries  of  the  Sith  LucasArts 

AC 

8,04 

4 

30  41  AH-64  Longbow  EA/Oriqin 

SI 

8,03 

5 

31  37  Tomb  Raider  Eidos 

AC 

8,02 

4 

32  29  Age  of  Empires  Microsoft 

ST 

8.01 

4,5 

31  Hellfire  Sierra 

RP 

8,01 

4 

34  38  Civilization  11:  Scenarios  MicroProse 

ST 

8.00 

4 

— F-22  ADF  NovaLogic 

Si 

8.00 

4,5 

36  43  Quake  id  Sofuvare 

AC 

7.99 

5 

37  31  You  Don't  Know  Jack  Movies  Berkeley  Systems  CP  7.95  4.5 


38  44  Grand  Prix  2 MicroProse 

39  44  NHL97EA  Sports 

40  46  Battleground:  Shiloh  TalonSoft 

44  NBA  Live  97  EA  Sports 

42  36  Civilization  II:  Fantastic  Worlds  MicroProse  ST  7.86 


43  47  Battleground:  Napoleon  In  Russia  TalonSoft WG  7.85  4.5 


44 

— Blade  Runner  Westwood/Virgin 

AD 

7.84 

4,5 

45 

50  Battleground:  Bull  Run  TalonSoft 

WG 

7.83 

4 

46 

52  Battleground:  Antietam  TalonSoft 

WG 

7,78 

5 

47 

49  Tigers  on  the  Prowl  11  HPS 

WG 

111 

4 

48 

53  MechWarrior  2;  Mercenaries  Activision 

SI 

7.75 

4,5 

59  Moto  Racer  EA 

AC 

7,75 

4 

50 

54  The  Need  for  Speed  SE  EA 

AC 

7,73 

N/R 

THIS  LAST  CAME/ 

Mrt  Mn.  mSlISHES 

GAME 

GENHE 

POLL  CSIV  ■ 

SCOPE  mm  ■ 

51  50  Fighters  Anthology  EA 

Si 

7.69 

3,5 

52  37  Tomb  Raider  II  Eidos 

AC 

7,68 

4 

53  56  Twinsen's  Odyssey  Activision 

AD 

7.66 

5 

54  58  Tripleplav  98  EA  Sports 

SP 

7.64 

3 

55  — Diamond  Mind  Baseball  7,0  Diamond  Mind 

SP 

7,62 

3,5 

60  Battleground:  Waterloo  TalonSoft 

WG 

7.62 

4,5 

57  62  Crusader;  No  Regret  £A/Oriqin 

AC 

7.60 

4.5 

58  61  You  Don't  Know  Jack  Sports  Berkeley  Systems 

CP 

7.56 

4.5 

59  64  Jack  Nicklaus  4 Accolade 

SP 

7.54 

5 

60  64  Jagged  Alliance:  Deadly  Games  Sir-Tech 

ST 

7,51 

4 

61  — Smart  Games  Challenge  2 Smart  Games  Inc, 

CP 

7.45 

5 

62  76  Interstate '76  Activision 

AC 

7.44 

4,5 

63  66  Last  Express  Red  Orb 

AD 

7.43 

4.5 

78  PGA  Tour  Pro  EA  Sports 

SP 

7.43 

3,5 

72  Rama  Sierra 

AD 

7,43 

4,5 

66  Realms  of  the  Haunting  interplay 

AD 

7.43 

4,5 

80  Worms  2 MicroProse 

CP 

7.43 

4 

68  66  The  Neverhood  DreamWorks 

AD 

7.42 

4 

69  74  Circle  of  Blood  Virgin 

AD 

7.41 

4 

70  73  Dungeon  Keeper  EA/Bullfrog 

ST 

7.40 

4,5 

71  63  You  Don't  Know  Jack  TV  Berkeley  Systems 

CP 

7.39 

2.5 

72  71  Myth  Bunqie 

ST 

7.36 

4.5 

73  78  Flight  Simulator  98  Microsoft 

SI 

7.35 

3.5 

74  83  NBA  Live  96  EA  Sports 

SP 

7.33 

N/R 

82  Tripleplay  97  EA  Sports 

SP 

7,33 

4 

76  76  Achtunq!  Spitfire  Avalon  Hill 

ST 

7.32 

5 

77  — Flight  Unlimited  2 Looking  Glass 

SI 

7.30 

4.5 

78  87  MDK  Playmates/Shiny 

AC 

7.29 

4,5 

80  Power  Chess  Sierra 

CP 

7.29 

N/R 

84  Spycraft  Activision 

AD 

7.29 

4,5 

81  — Baseball  Mogul  Infinite  Monkey 

SP 

7,28 

4 

82  84  Age  of  Rifles  Campaign  Disk  SSI 

WG 

7,27 

4 

83  — Star  Wars  Rebellion  LucasArts 

ST 

7.26 

3 

— Virtual  Pool  2 Interplay 

SP 

7.26 

4.5 

85  90  Lords  of  the  Realm  11  Sierra 

ST 

7.25 

4 

86  — Obsidian  SeqaSoft 

AD 

7.23 

4 

87  93  Close  Combat:  A Bridge  Too  Far  Microsoft 

WG 

7.21 

4.5 

88  93  X-COM:  Apocalypse  MicroProse 

ST 

7.20 

4 

89  — Steel  Panthers  111  SSI 

WG 

7.18 

3 

90  84  Dark  Reign  Advision 

ST 

7.17 

4 

96  Leisure  Suit  Larry  7 Sierra 

AD 

7.17 

3.5 

92  96  FPS  Football  Pro '97  Sierra 

SP 

7.16 

4,5 

93  96  Daqqerfall  Bethesda 

RP 

7.13 

4.5 

— Imperialism  SSI 

ST 

7.13 

4,5 

95  99  X-Wing  vs.  TIE  Fighter  LucasArts 

SI 

7,12 

3.5 

96  — Cart  Precision  Racing  Microsoft 

SP 

7,11 

5 

97  - FIFA  97  EA  Sports 

SP 

7.09 

4.5 

— Hexen  11  Raven/Advision 

AC 

7.09 

3,5 

— Robert  E.  Lee  Civil  War  General  Sierra 

WG 

7,09 

4 

100—  Theme  Hospital  Bullfroq/EA 

ST 

7.08 

4 

1 

ST ^6_0 

JP_  8.59  _5 

RP  ~"8.'56  4.5 

ST  8.56  4.5 

SI  8.51  5 


SP  7,94 

jP 7.88  " 4,5 

WG  7.87  5 

SP  7.87  4.5 


vT.computergaming.c 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


HAlLOfFANiE 


Welcome  to  the  Cooperstown  of  Computer  Games.  Games  that  broke 

the  records,  established  the  benchmarks,  and  held  gamers  in  delighted  trances  for  hours  untold. 


Alone  in  the  Dark  (l-Motion,  1992) 

Lovecrafiiar  horror  goes  3D,  with  shifting  camera  angles 
adding  to  the  creepy  atmosphere. 

The  Bard's  Tale  (EA,  1985) 

Pioneered  three-point  animation,  3D  color  mazes, 
and  auiomapping. 

Battle  Chess  (lnierplay,1988) 

The  Franklin  Mint  of  computer  chess  games,  with  violent 
and  funny  animation  disguising  a solid  chess  engine. 

Betrayal  at  Krondor(Dynamix,l993) 

As  rich  and  imaginative  as  Raymond  Feist's  world  itself. 


ChessmasterfSofiware  Toolworks,  1986) 

The  Cadillac  of  castling,  it  gets  better  with  each  version. 


Command  & ConquerfVirgin/Westwood Studios,  1995) 
Moved  beyond  Dune  II  witn  innovative  features  and  multiplayer 
play,  ushering  in  the  current  real-time  strategy  game  explosion. 

Day  of  the  Tentacle  (LucasAns,  1993) 

Offbeat  sequel  to  Matiwc  Mmision;  the  interactive  equivalent  of  a 
classic  Chuck  Jones  cartoon. 


DOOM  (id  Software,  1993) 

Revolutionized  PC  action  games  and  network  gaming;  now 
surpassed  in  technology,  but  not  gameplay. 

Dungeon  Master  (FTL  Software,  1987) 

Trend-setting  graphics,  digitized  stereo,  and  great  hack-and-slash 
from  a decade  ago. 


Earl  Weaver  Baseball  (EA,  1986) 
Revoiutionaryphysics-based  baseball  game  pleased  troth  action 
and  statistics  fans;  still  unsurpassed  more  than  a decade  later. 

Empire  (Interstel,  1978) 

VAVII  in  space,  this  mainframe  transplant  brought  elegant 
mechanics,  depth,  and  unending  replayability  to  the  PC. 

F-_19  Stealth  Fighter (MicroProse,  1988) 

A "thinking  man’s"  sim,  with  great  missions,  in  which  sneaking 
around  is  as  fun  as  dogfighting. 


Falcon  3.0(SpectrumHoloByte,  1991) 

Tough,  detailed  jet  sim  with  ambitious  Al,  graphics,  and 
connectivity  to  match  its  realism. 


Front  Page  Sports  Football  ProfDynamix,  1993) 
Physics-basedsystem,  good  Al,  and  unmatched  career  play  make 
this  the  ultimate  in  pigskin  play. 


Gettysburg:  The  Turning  Point  (5SI,  1986) 
First  variable  order  of  battle  changed  the  look  of  ail  American 
Civil  War  games  on  the  PC. 


New  Induction 


Cunship  [MicroProse,  1989) 

Great  charaner  continuity,  R&R  for  fatigued  pilots,  and  even  sick 
leave;  best  chopper  fare  until  Jane's  Longbow. 


Harpoon  (360  Pacific,  1989) 

In-depth  modern  naval  battles  in  real-time,  based  on  the  world's 
Cold  War  fears. 


Kampfgruppe  (SSI,  1985) 

WWII  Feast  Front  armor  battles  were  a success  on  multiple 
platforms. 


King's  Quest  V (Sierra  On-Line,  1990) 

Redehned  the  graphic  adventure  with  new  parser  and  VGA 
graphics. 


Lemmings  (Psygnosis,  1991) 

The  lovable  cartoon  Lilliputians  were  hits  on  every  platform. 

Links  386  Pro  (Access Software,  1992) 

Topped  the  leader  board  in  graphics  anrJ  realism  (or  its  era, 

M-1  Tank  Platoon  (MicroProse,  1989) 

Realistic  sim  that  properly  focused  on  armored  formations  rather 
than  on  single  vehicles;  good  mission  designs. 

Master  of  Magic  (MicroProse,  1994) 

The  atmosphere  of  Magic:  The  Gaiherinq  with  the  sophistication 
of  Civ, 


Master  of  Orion  (MicroProse,  1993} 

Remarkable  diplomatic  Al;  deep  and  varied  technology  tree; 
aliens  requirecl  radically  different  playing  styles. 

Mech  Brigade  (SSI,  1985) 

Improved  Kampfgruppe  system  for  modern  armored  battles. 


MechWarrior  II  (Activision,  1995) 

A serious  treatment  of  Mech  design  and  resource  management, 
combined  with  complex  and  addictive  battles,  legitimized  "giant 
robot  simulations.” 


Might  & Magic  (New  World  Computing,  1986) 
First-person,  maze-based  RPG  with  huge  environment  and  tough 
combat- 


M.U.L.E.(EA,  1983) 

A landmark  multiplayer  strategy  game  that  had  no  weapons  of 
destruction,  just  cutthroat  competition  that  made  economics  fun. 

Panzer  General  (SSI,  1994) 

Entertaining  wargame  with  an  elegant  interface,  great 
campaigns,  strong  Al,  good  graphics,  and  impressive  sound. 

Red  Baron  (Oynamix,  1990) 

WWI  air  combat  with  great  graphics,  incredible  realism,  and  a 
versatile  replay  feature. 


The  Secret  of  Monkey  Island  (LucasArts,  1990) 

Comedy  that  set  new  standards  in  writing  quality  and  social 
sensitivity. 


Sid  Meier's  Civilization  (MicroProse,  1991) 

CGW'%  #1-rated  game  of  all  time;  indescribably  addictive  world- 
conquest/explorallon  game. 


Sid  Meier's  Pirates  (MicroProse,  1987) 

Combines  pirate  adventure,  action,  RPG,  and  strategy  to  make 
the  most  successful  hybrid  of  ail  lime. 


Sid  Meier's  Railroad  Tycoon  (MicroProse,  1990) 
SiwCin  meets  1830witbfobber  barons  for  emphasis. 

SimCity  (Maxis,  1987) 

Urban  planning  with  fascinating  consequences  and  challenges- 
ihe  first  great  software  toy. 

Starflight  (EA,  1986) 

Depth,  great  characters,  and  a good  sci-fi  storyline  set  early  RPG 
standard. 


Their  Finest  Hour  (LucasArts,  1989) 

WWII  sim  with  great  campaigns,  realism  and  many  crew- 
member options. 


TIE  Fighter  (LucasArts,  1994) 

Most  satisfying  Sm  Wars  space-combat  game  to  date  lets  you 
live  on  the  daiK  side. 


Ultima  111  (Origin  Systems,  1983) 

Coherency  and  surprising  subtlety  emphasized  role-piaying  and 
set  the  tone  for  later  UiniRAS. 


Ultima  )V (Origin  Systems,  1985) 

High-concept  RPG  explored  meaning  of  vilue  and  pul  the  role  in 
role-playing. 

Ultima  VI  (Origin  Systems,  1990) 

RPG  as  morality  play,  replete  with  moral  choices  and  realistic 
environs. 


Ultima  Underworld  (Origin  Systems,  1992) 

The  first  truly  30  RPG,  and  still  the  most  convincing;  its  dungeon 
walls  were  nicely  "painted"  with  texture-mapped  graphlG. 

War  in  Russia  (SSI,  1984) 

More  realistic  than  Eastern  Front,  it  captured  the  essence  of  the 
largest  land  campaign  in  history, 

WarCraft  II  (Blizzard,  1996) 

More  cerebral  than  most  real-time  strategy  games,  it  offered 
deceptive  depth  and  personality  to  spare. 

Wasteland  (Interplay,  1986) 

Derived  from  Mike  Stackpole’s  Mercenaries.  Spies,  and  Private 
Eyes,  this  is  the  definitive  postapocalyptic  RPG. 

Wing  Commander(Origin Systems,  1990) 

A hot  spaceflight  engine,  unfolding  story  path,  and  great 
characters. 


Wing  Commander  II  (Origin  Systems,  1991) 

Darker  story,  grittier  feel,  sound  carJ  advances,  and  tougher  Al 
made  this  a sequel  of  sequels. 


Wing  Commander  III  (Origin  Systems,  1994) 
Surpristngly  satisfying  FMV  space-opera  didn’t  lose  the  essence 
of  the  space-combat  game. 


Wizardry  (Sir-Tech  Software,  1981) 

Defined  the  computer  RPG  with  maze-based  viewpoint  and 
atmospheric  spell  names. 


Wolfenstem  3-D  (id  Software,  1992) 
Smooth-scrolling  action  blastfest  cleverly  updated  the  original, 
and  put  shareware  back  on  the  map, 


X-COM  (MicroProse,  1994) 

Premier  tactical  squad-level  engine  combined  with  alien  tech 
research  and  pop  culture  for  a sci-fi  game  nearly  as  addictive  as 

CiVIlIZATION. 


Zork  [Infocom,  1981) 

The  progenitor  of  acfventure  games  on  the  PC:  its  humor  and 
challenging  puzzles  seem  timeless.  The  game  has  since  spawned 
a number  of  sequels,  none  of  which  has  equalled  the  original. 


You  Don't  Know  Jack  Berkeley  Systems,  1 996 

Every  company  strives  for  a mainstream  gaming  hit,  yet  most  attempts  fail  miser- 
ably. Back  in  early  1996,  however,  Berkeley  Systems  and  Jellyvision  combined 
their  talents  in  You  Don't  Know  Jack,  a game  that  managed  to  appeal  to  both 
hard-core  enthusiasts  and  newcomers  alike. 

Because  Jack  was  ostensibly  based  on  a recognizable  medium — the  cheesy  tele- 
vision game  show — it  immediately  drew  a huge  audience.  Jack  kept  everyone  coming 
back  for  more  through  a combination  of  highly  addictive  gameplay  and  irreverent  hu- 
mor. The  designers  reveled  in  turning  trivia-game  convention  on  its  ear  and  intro- 
ducing new  categories,  such  as  the  gibberish  question  (where  you  had  to  decipher 
with  what  a certain  sentence  rhymed:  "A  fiddle  nerd  sold  pee,"  for  example,  would 
translate  as  "A  little  bird  told  me"). 

Jack  is  the  perfect  example  of  a game  that  can  appeal  to  non-traditional  computer  gamers. 

Not  only  is  it  a fabulous  single-player  experience,  it's  also  the  ultimate  party  game.  When  Jack  came  out,  the 
old  CGW rule  about  leaving  your  work  at  work  was  forgotten:  Friends  and  family  begged  editors  to  bring  the  game 
home  for  weekends. 

You  Don  t Know  Jack  has  spawned  a number  of  successful  sequels  and  not-so-successful  competitors,  but  it's 
the  original  we  reward  here  for  its  irreverence,  its  freshness,  and  its  take-no-prisoners  attitude.  Like  Tetris  before  it 
You  Don’t  Know  Jack  is  one  Puzzle/Ciassics  game  that  broke  the  mold— and  had  a lot  of  fun  doing  it. 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  ■ AUGUST  199B 


iputergaming.f 


CGW  ONLINE 


GameSpot:  CGW's  Home  on  the  Web 

Turn  to  GameSpot  For  the  Fastest  OnFine  News  and  Reviews  in  Gaming 


Ziff-Davis  has  combined  the  talent  and  expertise  of  Computer  Gam'mg  World, 
GameSpot,  and  ZDNetto  bring  you  the  best  gaming  resources  on  the  Web. 
Whether  it's  the  latest  game  demos,  breaking  reviews,  detailed  strategy 
articles,  hot  scoops,  or  online  forums,  you'll  find  everything  you  need  to  stay 
on  the  cutting  edge. 


If  you're  looking  for  the  fastest  online  news  and  reviews  in  gaming,  turn  to  the 
experts  at  GameSpot  Here's  a brief  overview  of  what  you  can  expect  on 
GameSpot  over  the  next  few  weeks.  To  see  these  articles  and  others,  point  your 
browser  to  the  ultimate  gaming  page  at  http://cgw.gamespot.com/augu5t98. 


Dess!ock  also  examines  other  RP6s  in  the  works, 
including  Fallout  2,  Baldur's  Gate,  Return  to 
Krondor,  and  Swords  & Sorcery:  Come  Devils, 
Come  Darkness. 


strategy  Guides 

STARCRAFT 

The  game  has  finally  been  released,  and 
many  gamers  are  already  scrambling  to  get 
through  the  30  missions  and  on  to  battle.net. 
So  don't  get  hung  up  on  any  one  mission. 
Consult  GameSpofs  expert  guide  for  advice 
on  how  to  complete  each  mission 
successfully  and  how  to  play  as  each  of  the 
different  races.  The  guide  also  provides  in- 
depth  information  about  every  unit  and 
plenty  more,  so  don't  miss  out. 


Special  Features 

WEB  WARFARE 

Three  top  online-only  flight  sims  are 
fighting  in  the  internet  skies  for  your 
entertainment  dollar.  Choose  wisely  by 
checking  out  this  Game5pof  story  written 
by  CGfV contributing  editor  John  Nolan. 
John  checks  out  Air  Warrior  III, 

WarBiros,  and  Fighter  Ace  to  compare 
such  features  as  flight  models,  graphics, 
and  price. 


1998:  THE  YEAR 
OF  THE  RPC? 

GameSpot's  RPG  expert,  Dessiock,  can 
relate  to  the  disappointment  among 
fans  after  a year  of  broken  promises 
from  RPG  developers  in  1997.  Will  they  make  up 
for  it  this  year?  Dessiock  closely  examines  the 
hottest  RPGs  due  out  this  year,  such  as  Ultima: 
Ascension,  Might  and  Magic  VI,  and  Wizardry  VIII 
to  see  what  they  have  to  offer  hungry  RPG  fans. 


COAAMAND  & CONQUER: 
TiBERIAN  SUN  PREVIEW 

The  true  sequel  to  Command  & Conquer  is 
coming  this  October.  Trent  Ward 
provides  details  about  the  storyline, 
describes  many  of  the  game's  units, 
and  more. 


Designer  Diaries 

Ever  wonder  what's  going  on  behind  the 
scenes  while  those  much-anticipated  games 
are  in  development?  GameSpot's  Designer 
Diaries  follow  the  progress  of  game 
designers  like  Jane  Jensen,  embarking  on  her 
third  Gabriel  Knight  game  for  Sierra  On-Line, 
and  Tim  Schafer,  who's  currently  working  on 
Grim  Fandango  for  LucasArts.  Tom  Hall  also 
gives  GameSpot  readers  regular  updates  on 
his  new  game  at  ION  Storm,  Anachronox. 
We've  just  added  Sid  Meier's  Alpha  Centauri, 
written  by  designer  Brian  Reynolds.  Also, 
coming  soon,  Ron  Millar  will  talk  about  his 
new  game.  Black  and  White.  And  there's  more, 
so  check  out  the  Designer  Diaries  on 
GameSpot. 


Demos 

GameSpof  has  the  most  thorough  and  regularly 
updated  game  demo  libraries  on  the  Web. 

You'll  find  demos  of  many  of  the  games  that 
we've  reviewed  recently,  including  Triple  Play 
99,  Die  by  the  Sword,  Outwars,  Forsaken,  Monster 
Truck  Madness  2,  Panzer  Commander,  World  Cup 
98,  Hardball  6,  VR  Powerboat  Racing,  Industry 
Giant,  and  more.  2227 


/. computergaming. ( 


COAAPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


ONTHBCC-ROM 

A Sim-ply  Awesome  Disc 

Strap  Yourself  In  and  Prepare  for  Takeoff  on  This  Month's  CG-ROM 


Independence  War  , ■*  / 


See  CGW'5  exclusive  3Dfx-enhanced 
demo  of  one  the  best  space  sims  to  be 
released  yet. 


We've  given  it  our  CC-Choice  award; 
here's  your  chance  to  find  out  if  this  is 
the  flight  sim  for  you. 


Pilots  of  all  types  will  want  to  check 
out  the  demos  on  this  month's  CG- 
ROM.  American  gamers  who  are 
curious  about  the  praise  being  given  to 
the  European  space  sim  I-War  (or 
Independence  War  as  it  will  be  known 
stateside)  can  check  out  our 
exclusive  CGWdemo.  Flying  fans 
can  also  put  Jane's  latest  offering 
to  the  test — the  CG-Choice  award 
winner,  Jane's  F-15.  We  also  have  a 
demo  of  SSI's  upcoming  sim,  Team 
Apache.  Finally,  for  would-be  pilots 
who  fancy  testing  their  aeronautical 
skills  online,  but  don't  feel  like  tying 
up  their  machines  during  the  long 
download  time,  we've  done  all  the  hard 
work  for  you:  Just  boot  up  the  new  version 
of  WarBirds  2.01  and  get  ready  to  fly  the 
unfriendly  skies. 

For  strategy  gamers,  we  have  Warlords 
III:  Darklords  Rising  and  Incubation:  The 
Wilderness  Missions,  while  sports  fan  can  play 
HardBall  6.  And  for  gamers  looking  for 
something  completely  different,  there's  the 
unique  Russian  import,  Vangers— a futuristic 
action/driving/puzzle  game  hybrid  with  a 
very  different  feel. 


PRODUCT  NAME 

PLATFORM 

DIRECTORY/DEMOS  EXECUTABLE 

Aliens  On-Line 

W95 

ALIENS 

install.exe 

BASS  Masters  Classic: 

W95 

BASS 

set 

Tournament  Edition 

up.exe 

Burnout 

W95 

BURNOUT 

install.exe 

Dominion 

W95 

DOMINION 

domdem11.exe 

Drakan 

W95 

DRAKAN 

drakan.avi 

Earthlink 

W95 

EARTHLINK 

setup.exe 

HardBall  6 

W95 

HARDBALL6 

hb6demo.exe 

Incubation: 

W95 

INCUBATION 

incmission 

The  Wilderness  Missions 

demo.exe 

Independence  War 

W95 

IWAR 

iwdemo.exe 

Jane's  F-15 

W95 

JANESF15 

f15zip2.exe 

Team  Apache 

W95 

TEAMAPACHE 

setup.exe 

Unreal 

W95 

UNREAL 

unreal.avi 

Vangers 

W95 

VANGERS 

vandemo.exe 

WarBirds  2.01 

W95 

WARBIRDS 

wb95full.exe 

Warlords  III;  Darklord  Rising 

W95 

WARLORDS 

setup.exe 

How  to  Use  the  Disc 

The  CG-ROM  is  Autoplay  enabled  and  should  begin  upon 
loading  it  into  the  CD-ROM  drive.  Otherwise,  select  Run 
from  the  Program  Manager  in  Windows  3.x.  or  Start  Menu 
in  Windows  95,  and  type  D:\RUN-ME  (where  D is  the 
letter  of  your  CD-ROM  drive)  to  run  it  straight  from  the 
CD.  You  may  type  D:\INSTALL  to  create  a CGW 
program  group  on  your  Windows  desktop  for  future 
fun.  Many  demos  require  the  disc  to  be  in  the  CD- 
ROM  drive  in  order  to  run;  therefore,  we 
recommend  installing  the  demos  from  our  disc. 


To  Get  the  CD-ROM 

To  subscribe  to  the  CG-ROM  version  of  the 
magazine,  call  (303)  665-8930.  If  you  already 
receive  the  magazine  without  the  CD,  you  must  wait 
until  your  current  subscription  expires  before  receiving 
the  CD  version.  Please  address  subscription  complaints  to 
cgw@neodata.com,  Neodata  is  a magazine  fulfillment  house 
which  is  not  owned  or  operated  by  Ziff-Davis. 


August  CD  Titles 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


iputerg, lining, c 


Order  Free  Product  Information  @ www.computergaming.com/infolink 


INFO# 

COMPANY 

PRODUCT 

PAGE  1 

3Dfx 

Voodoo  2 

230-231 

112 

3DOC0. 

Army  Men 

118-119 

243 

3D0  Co. 

Requiem 

172-173 

79 

Access  Software 

links  LS 

214-215 

231 

Activision 

Fighter  Squadron 

12-13 

125 

Advanced  Cybetlech/XiCat 

Incoming 

242 

105 

Alienware 

Alienware  Systems 

255 

62 

American  Power  Conversion 

APC 

189 

106 

ATI  Technologies,  Inc. 

Graphics  Board 

68 

271 

Aureal  Semiconductor 

A3D 

127 

220 

Blizzard 

Staruaft 

4-5 

BSG 

Survival  Guide 

63-65 

BTS  & Associates 

Web  sites/Demos 

254 

266 

Canopus 

30  Power 

80 

68 

Chips  & Bits 

www.cdmag.com 

256-257 

70 

Creative  Labs 

Graphic  Blaster  (Voodoo) 

244 

154 

Creative  Labs 

Sound 

74-75 

145 

Diamond  Multimedia  Systems 

Monster  3D 

159 

Dreamworks 

Trespasser 

60-61 

276 

Eidos  Interaaive 

Commandos 

C5-C7 

228 

Eidos  Interactive 

Deathtrap  Dungeon 

18-19 

279 

Eidos  Interactive 

Dominion 

54-55 

115 

Eidos  interaaive 

Eidos  Interaaive 

57 

277 

Eidos  Interactive 

Final  Fantasy  VII 

49-51 

116 

Eidos  Interactive 

Thief:  The  Dark  Projea 

52-53 

111 

Eidos  Interaaive 

Tomb  Raider  II 

56 

257 

Falcon  Northwest 

Falcon  MACHV 

26-27 

113 

Fox  Interaaive 

Fox  Sports  Golf '99 

210 

172 

Fox  Interaaive 

X-Flles:  The  Game 

100-101 

170 

GT  Interaaive 

Total  Annihilation  2 Core  Contingency!  38-1 39 

171 

GT  Interaaive 

War  of  the  Worlds 

C2-C4,1 

114 

Incredible  Technologies 

Golden  Tee  Golf 

203 

84 

Interaaive  Magic 

F18 

196 

86 

Interactive  Magic 

Spear  Head 

78-79 

188 

Interaaive  Magic 

Ultra  Fighters 

240 

72 

Intergraph  Computer  Systems 

Intense  3D  Voodoo 

6-7 

163 

Interplay 

Baldur’sGate 

108-109 

166 

Interplay 

Fallout  2 

212-213 

197 

Kesmai 

Air  Warriors 

247 

197 

Kesmai 

Aliens 

241 

197 

Kesmai 

Gamestorra 

249 

197 

Kesmai 

Godzilla 

239 

197 

Kesmai 

Jack  Niklaus 

245 

197 

Kesmai 

Starship  Troopers 

243 

LucasArts  Entertainment  Co. 

Grim  Fandango 

8-9 

130 

Mad  Genius 

Gun  Metal 

128-129 

78 

Magix  Entertainment 

Magix  Live  Ad 

246 

124 

Matrox  Graphics,  Inc. 

Mystique  G200 

154 

100 

Miaon 

Millenia 

160-161 

282 

MicroProse 

MechCommander 

222-223 

INFO# 

COMPANY  PRODUCT 

PAGE  I 

Microsoft 

Monster  Truck  Madness  il 

29 

Microsoft 

Motocross  Madness 

59 

• 

Miaosoft 

Urban  Assault 

70-71 

Microsoft 

Urban  Assault 

73 

Microsoft 

Windows  98 

42-43,45-47 

183 

Midway  Home  Entertainment 

Mortal  Kombat  IV 

234-235 

189 

Mindscape  Entertainment 

Team  Apache 

24 

94 

NovaLogic,  Inc. 

F16 

98-99 

ORIGIN  Systems,  Inc. 

Alpha  Centauri 

88-89 

ORIGIN  Systems,  Inc. 

Ultima  Ascension 

C8 

Panasonic/fiipcord 

Space  Bunnies 

225 

Panasonic/Ripcord 

Special  Operations 

32,77 

Panasonic/Ripcord 

Stratosphere 

200 

140 

Philips 

USB  Speakers 

238 

134 

Piranha  Interactive  Pub. 

Dead  Reckoning 

182-183 

136 

Piranha  Interaaive  Pub. 

Extreme  Tadics 

2-3 

137 

Piranha  Interaaive  Pub. 

Morpheus 

82-83 

260 

QuickShot 

GenX  Joysticks 

233 

Red  Orb  Entertainment 

Extreme  Warfare 

34-38 

Red  Orb  Entertainment 

Warlords  III:  Dark  Rising 

112-113 

229 

Red  Storm  Entertainment 

Rainbow  Six 

142 

270 

S3i 

GX3  Multimedia  Chip 

184 

186 

Sierra  On-Line 

Caesar  III 

168-170 

147 

Sierra  On-Line 

Cyberstorm  2 

205-207 

109 

Sierra  On-Line 

Gabriel  Knight  111 

14-15 

135 

Sierra  On-Une 

Grand  Prix  Legends 

22-23 

99 

Sierra  On-Line 

Homeworld 

175,177,179 

120 

Sierra  On-line 

Mask 

123-125 

110 

Sierra  On-Line 

Nascar  50th 

192-193 

150 

Sierra  On-line 

StarSiege 

195,197-199 

187 

Sierra  On-Line 

Tribes 

144-148 

156 

Sierra  On-Line 

Won.net 

92-93 

126 

Sir-Tech 

Jagged  Alliance 

166 

256 

Sound  Source  Interactive 

Olympus'.  War  of  the  Gods 

41 

295 

South  Peak  Interaaive 

Dark  Side  of  the  Moon:  Moon  131,133,135  \ 

239 

Strategic  Simulations,  Inc. 

Panzer  Commander 

218-219 

Symantec 

NCI2 

103-106 

245 

Talonsoft 

Operational  Art  of  War 

20 

107 

THQ 

Bass  Ma5le5  Classic 

117 

152 

THQ 

Brunswick  Bowling 

209 

153 

THQ 

REDJACK 

229 

185 

Thunderseat  Technologies 

Thundereeat 

163 

88 

Total  Entertainment  Network 

PGL 

237 

252 

Virgin  interaaive  Entertainment 

C&C  Tiberian  Sun 

190-191 

251 

Virgin  Interactive  Entertainment 

Dawn  of  War 

114-115 

215 

Virgin  Interaaive  Entertainment 

Lands  of  Lore  111 

94-95 

205 

Virgin  Interaaive  Entertainment 

Recoil 

16-17 

101 

Yamaha  Corp.  of  America 

Waveforce 

156 

/. computergaming, { 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  » AUGUST  1998 


She  Got  Game 

Or,  Why  My  Kid  Will  Crush  Your  Kid  at  WarCraft  IV 


this,  only  getting  up  when  one  of 
us  fl'll  let  you  decide  which) 
needed  a diaper  change. 

Now,  all  that  effort  has  paid 
off.  In  a mere  few  years,  I have 
successfully  transformed  a 
vibrant,  curious,  enthusiastic 
young  child  into  a glassy-eyed 
zombie  that  stares  vacantly  into 
the  computer  screen  for  hours 
on  end,  oblivious  to  the  world 
around  her.  In  the  last  year  or 
so,  she's  been  utterly  game- 
locked  by  one  title  after  another 
(especially  Humongous 
Entertainment's  awesome  PUTT 
Putt  saves  the  Zoo),  while  com- 
pletely ignoring  the  repeated 
commands  to  come  to  the  din- 
ner table  or  get  ready  for  school 
or  go  to  bed. 


should  see  a child  behaviorist. 
Me:  I said  Sarah  was  using  the 
Mac  since  age  1 . She  was  cod- 
ing on  mainframes  since  she 
came  out  of  the  womb.  Are 
you  sure  your  son  doesn't 
have  some  kind  of  learning 
disability? 

Jerk:  I see  she  still  puts  the 
mouse  in  her  mouth, 
though— that's  cute. 

Me:  At  least  my  daughter  has  a 
mouth.  Your  son,  he's  like  half 
ferret  here,  or  what? 

Jerk:  How  about  if  I kick  your 
ass  right  now? 

Me;  Bring  it. 

So,  you  see— I really  had  no 
choice.  Turning  my  kid  on  to 
computer  games  was  not  a lazy 


J have  successfully  transformed  an  enthusiastic 
young  child  into  a glassy-eyed  ZOmbi^  Jf 


ne  of  the  greatest 
things  about  being 
the  parent  of  a young 
child — other  than  not 
oversleeping  and 
cleaning  up  vomit,  of 
course — is  the 
chance  to  practice 
total  mind  control  over  another 
human  being.  Think  of  it  as  the 
ultimate  real-time  strategy  game, 
one  with  more  micromanagement 
and  combat  than  anything  you 
can  possibly  imagine.  You  think  a 
StarCraft  zealot  rush  is  tough? 
Wait  until  your  kid  is  standing 
naked  on  the  kitchen  table,  cov- 
ered in  finger  paints,  eating  fist- 
fuls of  sugar  out  of  a jar. 

Before  you  venture  on  the 
road  to  parenthood,  however, 
there  are  a couple  things  to  keep 
in  mind.  First,  you're  going  to 
have  to  find  someone  who 
wants  to  have  sex  with  you.  This 
can  be  a problem,  especially  for 
gamers.  Second,  once  you  do 
find  someone  who's  willing  to, 
you  know,  get  busy,  you're  prob- 
ably going  to  have  to  get  into 
this  whole  relationship/marriage 
thing,  which  can  be  inconvenient 
and  a real  pain  if  all  you  really 
want  to  do  is  play  on  battle.net 
all  day.  Plan  on  hearing  all  sorts 
of  stuff  about  "sharing  feelings" 
and  "paying  attention"  to  your 
partner.  Alternatively,  you  could 
invest  in  a really  good  pair  of 
headphones. 

■ ■ ■ 

Anyway,  once  you  get  past 
these  hurdles,  you're  in  for  quite 
a treat.  Just  imagine  it.  You, 
probably  kind  of  a dork,  all  of  a 
sudden  in  control  of  a complete- 
ly innocent  and  trusting  little 
mind,  to  mold  it  as  you  see  fit. 


Thus,  at  the  age  of  four,  my 
daughter,  Sarah,  already  has  in 
her  brain— thanks  to  my  careful 
tutelage — an  assortment  of  use- 
ful facts,  such  as;  Batman  could 
kick  Superman's  butt  any  day  of 
the  week;  Volvo  drivers  are  lane- 
hogging, turn-signal-ignoring 
doodyheads;  and, for  sheer 
entertainment  value,  you  can't 


JEFFCRBEN 


ever  really  beat  a loud  belch  at 
the  dinner  table. 

But,  by  far,  the  most  important 
thing  that  Sarah  has  learned 
from  me  is  that  computer  games 
are  cool. 

■ ■ ■ 

Ever  since  she  was  little  baby, 
Sarah  has  sat  on  my  lap  while 
I've  been  parked  in  front  of  my 
computer  working  on  one  of  my 
"research  projects"  for  CGW. 

And  I've  done  this  because,  as  a 
responsible  parent,  I knew  it  was 
best  for  her.  She  needed  to 
know.  She  needed  to  get  The 
Love.  Learning  to  cast  Bloodlust 
on  Ogre  Mages  in  WarCraft 
II— this  is  a crucial  life  lesson 
you  are  never  too  young  to 
learn.  I worked  ceaselessly  at 


And  you  know  what?  My  kid's 
going  to  be  ready.  And  so  will  I, 
for  the  petty  one-upmanship  that 
happens  after  people  procreate. 
At  one  recent  upscale-type 
kindergarten  meeting  (at  which 
they  served  cappucinos  in  Little 
Mermaid \u\ce  cups),  I had  to  lis- 
ten to  some  insufferable  dad 
crow  about  how  his  son  Eggbert 
was  the  next  coming  of  Bill 
Gates,  he  was  so  darn  smart  on 
the  computer.  Finally  I could 
stand  it  no  longer.  1 spoke  up. 

Me:  Sarah's  been  using  the  Mac 
since  she  was  one. 

Jerk:  Oh,  really?  It  took  that 
long?  Weird.  Eggbert  was  six 
months  old  when  he  first 
booted  one  up.  Maybe  you 


indulgence,  but  the  simple  reality 
of  preparing  her  to  compete  in  a 
world  full  of  shnooks.And,  I 
admit  it:  Seeing  her  run  into  the 
house  and  make  a beeline  to  the 
computer— just  like  her  daddy- 
makes  me  so  proud! 

Now,  maybe  if  I keep  pushing 
it,  she  just  might  be  the  first  kid 
in  her  nursery  school  to  get 
carpal  tunnel  syndrome. 

What  is  a man  without  his 
dreams? 

What  Jeff  doesn't  realize  is 
that  while  his  kid  has  been  play- 
ing games,  all  the  other  kinder- 
gartners  have  been  studying 
abstract  analysis  and  Sartre.  Give 
him  hell  for  his  shoddy  parenting 
at  jhgreen@zd.com. 


Compeer  earning  mmSN  07^-6667)  is  published  rnomhli-  by  Ziff-Davis,  Inc.  One  Park  Avenue.  New  York,  NY  10016.  Subsctiplion  rale  is  $27.97  lor  a one-year  subscription  (12  issues)  Canada  and  al 

cSd^P^stlmelaron^P  h-  World.  P.O.  Box  57167.  Boulder.  CO  80328-7167.  Canadian  GST  registration  nulnber  is  89371  0442  RT 

Post  Iniernatronal  Pubs  Maii  Product  (Canada  Distribution)  Sales  Agieement  No.  1058649.  Periodicals  postage  paid  at  New  York,  NY  10016  and  additional  mailing  offices  Printed  In  the  USA 


COMPUTER  GAMING  WORLD  « AUGUST  1998 


vcompuiergaminsc 


T 


ihtrodugihg 


l'a'l!l'l!.LiLLLLlt-LLLLU:L^tlilL\!L:uLraLLL 


Nationality 


American 
Use  of  blad 


COMMANDOS:  Behind  Enemy  Lines  and  Eidos  Interactive  are  trademarks  of  EIDOS  Pic.  O 1997-1998  Eidos.  All  Rights  Reserved. 


Check  out  the  demoi 


Name 

Russell  Hancock 

A.K.A. 

Inferno 

Nationality 
Primaiy  Skill 

British 

Explosives/munitions 

Background 

Very  quiet  demeanor. 

Keeps  to  himself. 

Explosive  temper  can  result 
in  unpredictable  behavior. 

Name 

C 

Sir  Francs  Woolridge 

A.K.A. 

Duke 

Nationality 

British 

Primary  Skill 

Marksman 

Background 

Cold  and  calculating 
character.  His  commitment 
to  the  team  intensified 
after  his  sister  was  killed 
in  a German  bombing  raid. 

lackground 

Extremely  violent  temper 
when  provoked.  Loves  to 
read  poetry  to  relax. 
Afraid  of  dogs. 

24  missions  thpoughout  Europe  and  Africa 


Rene  Duchamp 


French 


Nationality! 


Primary  Skill! 


Linguist 


Background 


Aside  from  an  absolute 
hatred  toward  Nazis, 
quite  an  amiable  character. 
Speaks  five  languages  fluently. 
Great  with  women. 


Go  to  #276  @ vvvvw.computergaming.^|^^^Iink 


Name 

c 

Sid  Perkins 

A.K.A 

Tread 

Nationality 
Special  Skill 

American 

Vehicle  mechanic/driver 

Background 

Mistrustful  character. 

Has  poor  relationships 
with  teammates. 

Loves  a fine  Cuban 
between  raids. 

Name 

C 

Oames  Blackwood 

A.K.A. 

Fins 

Nationally 
Primary  Skill 

Australian 

Champion  swimmer/sailer 

Background 

Dissolute  character.  Vows  to 
have  alcohol  problem  under 
control.  Could  Figure  out  a 
way  to  make  an  anvil  float. 

ORIGIN 


LiVEAimtE 


IN  THE  PROCESS 


llltimaT  Ascension.  Take  Fantasy  to  Extremes. 
www.ultima-ascensiort'pdm  ; 


We  create  worlds 

eanrt|bllM«iaiSnlaH.hC.UIIiu.  DnCIN,nCru1(V«MsM<l 
lUl  riittiitsMtif.  kifii  i!  a EiKtiaie  trti  ceotmi.